Holiday watering!

[RobMac]

Thankfully it seems like we'll have some decent weather for our summer holiday this year, but that brings with it another problem -watering! This year I've had a real push on growing lots of things both indoors and outside. I'm not too cocerned about the outside plants but the chillies and tomatoes, which are on our window sill, do worry me. The tomatoes seem to need a drink in the morning and evening. So has anyone some ideas about how I can construct something to water them without needing a rriendly neighbour to pop in twice a day for two weeks?

Thanks in advance.

[rustylady]

How many plants are you talking about Rob?

[Bigmallly]

Sounds like you have 2 options Rob.
Either let someone in to water them or take the plants to someone elses house to look after them..........oh, there could be a 3rd option. At this time of year you may get away with putting them outside for someone to look after.

[Two_Sheds]

If you leave them in the house they're likely to die. You could put them in the bath on a soggy towel, so they can sip up some water (don't leave them sitting in water cos the roots will rot).

Or leave them outside in a shallow tray of water, in the shade and hope for the best.

I don't trust anyone else to water things properly: I gave my FiL explicit, simple directions for watering my gh (once a day, not too much), but of course he knew best so he just gave everything 2" of water the once, and left them sitting in it for 2 weeks. Most everything rotted & died.

[RobMac]

How many plants are you talking about Rob?

Hi RustyLady, I've 4 chilli plants and 4 tomato plants. Regards

[RobMac]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. It is a quandry as I'd be gutted to see all my hardwork ruined. I think we may have to transfer them to a neighbour to look after outside. Hopefully seeing them every day will mean they will get watered.

[rustylady]

Can I ask why you are growing them inside your house Rob?

[RobMac]

Hi, I don't have a greenhouse, but have a large bay with french windows. It can get really windy up here in Newcastle and they'd have been damaged if I'd grown them on the patio.

[Two_Sheds]

They're going to be damaged on someone else's patio too, sadly. If that's what you're going to do (and you don't have that many choices), then you need to start hardening them off now

[out in the cold]

Is there space in the tubs for a 2 litre bottle to be upturned and pushed in?

We use this method with a sports cap water bottle pushed into our fruit tubs, so the plants don't dry out and a full one lasts for about a week and a half at the moment, even in the hot weather.

You could also try protecting the soil n some way. Our old chilli plant liked it in her pot with the soil covered in what I would describe as marbles, and this helped to retain soil moisture

[Bigmallly]

You could also try protecting the soil n some way. Our old chilli plant liked it in her pot with the soil covered in what I would describe as marbles, and this helped to retain soil moisture

That gave me a thought but not sure if it would last 2 weeks............apply a mulch of paper and cover it with ice cubes.....then more paper.....just a thought.

[Bren In Pots]

Hi, I don't have a greenhouse, but have a large bay with french windows. It can get really windy up here in Newcastle and they'd have been damaged if I'd grown them on the patio.

Rob rig up a self-watering system using capillary matting a bit like this I use in my GH.

[RobMac]

Been a frantic couple of weeks with end of term and work, so sorry I've not replied of late. Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. This is the plan. 2 friends are going to come round and water for a week each. I've hardened all my chilli plants off so that's good. Then as a backup I bought an irrigation system for my raised beds. First trial over a weekend away saw the timer blown off the outside tap and it broke. The kind people at Greenhouse Sensation sent me a new one this week, which arrived today. It's now connected to my large water butt, which in turn is connected to a second small one via a syphon (very clever stuff - look it up on YouTube). So fingers crossed all will be well, but I like some of your ideas. I'm thinking of buidimg a system of self watering containers using a syphion to fill their water reserves from a central reservoir, such as a water butt. It'll save time watering and be a holiday backup.

[RobMac]

Rob rig up a self-watering system using capillary matting a bit like this I use in my GH.

Bren, how long do you reckon you can leave them without topping up the mats? Great idea

[Bren In Pots]

Mine lasts a couple of weeks especially since its been modified, the matting is now covered with black plastic with cut outs for the pots so less water is evaporated.