4 Easy Steps to Watering While Away

Now that the world has opened back up (at least a bit!), I have a situation I didn't have to deal with before becoming a plant mama. How do I keep these babies alive while I'm away for a few days? If rain is in the forecast it isn't as much of an issue. But consecutive sunny days in zone 7b summers mean watering is necessary.

I haven't set up a permanent irrigation system yet, but I started to research different ways of watering while away from home. I tweaked/merged a few and put it in action in my own garden. It definitely works for a few days away and my veggies stay happy. This could also be used for flowers or indoor plants. And the big plus - it cost me nothing and let me recycle bottles I already had around.

I took a soda bottle (these are 16.9 oz size), rinsed them out and removed the labels. Empty water bottles would also work.

Then I used a cordless drill to put a small hole in the cap - about the size of a pen point. You could also use a nail or tack to make a hole. The key is that the hole is small enough to produce a slow drip of water.

Fill the bottle with water - I use regular tap water, since that's what I use to water my plants.

Replace the cap and then push the bottle into the soil, angled toward the roots of your plants, about 3 to 4 inches deep. For smaller/younger plants I'll add a bottle between two plants. For \ mature or larger plants, or plants growing in a container, I use one bottle per plant.

This system will allow the roots to "drink" from the bottles when water is needed. While the surface of the soil may look dry, the plants are getting nourishment where it is most needed. This system keeps my plants happy for 2-3 days. Which keeps Val happy when she has to be away.

How do you feed your plants when you have to be away?