summer months, especially July and August are the hottest months of the year with the lowest humidity. But these months are also the most favorite months for many, because during this period the largest number of holidays falls. And if you are packing your suitcase and looking forward to the upcoming vacation, then your houseplants preparing for the drought test. The first thing that may come to mind is the care and watering assistance from relatives, neighbors or friends who can periodically look into the house and water the flower pots in your absence.

But what if your relatives also dispersed across the seas, and you don’t trust your neighbors too much? What to do with plants during the summer holidays how to provide them with watering and care? Before leaving, try to make sure that they get through the parting painlessly and meet you green and blooming.

10 preparatory steps

1. Remove the flowers from the windowsill or close the curtains more tightly. The less light, the slower the life processes in plants, which means they will need less moisture.

2. Water the soil well so that it is saturated with water. The pot can be wrapped with a damp newspaper, and on top also with cellophane. This will reduce moisture loss.

3. Small plants should be covered with plastic or glass caps, bottles, but so that they let air through from below. Evaporating water will condense on the walls and drain back into the ground.

4. 5-7 days before departure, carefully check if the plants are affected by pests and diseases. Remove from the plant all dried and disease-damaged shoots and leaves, as well as large buds and flowers. Treat diseased plants with the appropriate preparations.

5. It is better to cut off too large leaves.

6. Plants should be placed in a lit place, but not in the sun.

7. Close both doors and windows so that there are no drafts in the room where the plants will remain.

8. 2-3 weeks before departure, stop all types of top dressing.

9. If you leave plants in a tray of water, place flower pots on an elevation of stones or on wooden coasters so that their roots do not freeze.

10. flowers in ceramic pots better tolerate "separation" than those that live in plastic containers.

6 Ways of Remote Watering

Method number 1: for plants in clay pots (7-10 days). If you keep indoor plants in clay pots, then each pot can be wrapped in moss - both moss and the plant are abundantly moistened. If there is no moss nearby, place the clay pot in a plastic pot big size, and place moistened expanded clay in the space between the walls of the pots. This method is effective if the plants are left for 7-10 days.

Method number 2: for plants in plastic pots. In plastic pots, the soil is covered from above with wet moss or expanded clay. Watered plants can be placed on pallets, deep trays or wide basins of water so that the bottom of the pot is in the water. This method is effective for moisture-loving plants.

Method number 3: watering through the "wick". A wick is twisted from a thick woolen thread, bandage or strip of fabric. One end of the wick is placed on the surface of the earth in a pot, and the other end is lowered into a container of water, while the container with water should be located above the flower pot. Thus, the wick will get wet from one side and moisture will pass to the end of the wick that is in the pot. You should take care of the correct number of wicks for a certain size of pot. So for a pot with a diameter of 10 cm, one wick is enough, and for a pot with a diameter of 25-30 cm, 3-4 wicks are needed for an adequate supply of water. By the way, special synthetic wicks are also sold in flower shops.

Method number 4: moisturizing through the fabric. Lay on kitchen table a film (you can also place the pots in the bathroom if the plants are not whimsical to the light), lay a fabric soaked in water on the oilcloth (cloth, felt, an old baby blanket, batting folded in several layers). Place pots with already watered plants on the fabric, dip the end of the fabric into a container of water. Moisture through the fabric will move to the pots. Pots should have drainage holes, saucers are not needed. Wet plants will give off water and the plants will absorb water through the drainage holes. This method is suitable for a period of 10-20 days.

Method number 5: watering through the "wick" at the bottom of the pot. All you need is your flower pot and another container to put under the pot. Make holes in the pot and thread the string as shown in the picture. Place the pot on the sucker with water so that the rope sinks down into the water. Water along the rope will rise up and moisten the ground.

Method number 6: automatic watering systems. Remember that all these methods are designed for a maximum of three to four weeks of your absence. If you have to leave for a longer period, then you can’t do without complex store-bought automatic watering systems. Now they are sold in any flower shop in the city and are a container of water, a set of thin tubes and a control system that turns on the water supply at certain intervals, for example, 2 times a day.

Do you know?

... that tradescantia, begonia, dracaena easily tolerate a temporary lack of moisture (up to 7 days)

...that aloe, agave, euphorbia comb tolerate temporary "droughts" well and love sunlight, so it is better to leave them in a room on the windowsill, after watering well.

... that palm trees and ficuses that live on the balcony are better to bring into the room during the holidays. They are also unpretentious to moisture, but they can get sick in three weeks of your absence.

How to leave indoor flowers without watering during the holidays

Well, that's what happened! The long awaited vacation has arrived. For pleasant fees, suddenly, you realize that during your absence indoor flowers will remain without watering.

The question arises: what to do in order to save flowers from drought? There is a solution! Here are a few tricks to keep flowers without watering from two weeks to a month.

Basic steps to create conditions for flowers that will remain without watering for a long time

1. First of all, sort the flowers according to the moisture consumption. Those that can remain without water for a long time(, etc.) and those that require frequent and regular watering.

2. Give the flowers a refreshing shower and water them.

3. Remove flowers from sunny windows and radiators (in winter period). Place the flowers in the middle of the room, where the heat from the batteries and the sun won't reach them.

4. Create temporarily gentle conditions for indoor plants in the room. Shade windows with sunny side. Windows can be curtained or closed with blinds. In a shaded room, plants absorb less moisture.

5. Arrange water containers to increase air humidity. Place containers near plant pots.

6. If possible, leave the vents or windows ajar to ventilate the air in the room. This condition is not always possible, especially in winter.

These are the basic steps to take when leaving flowers alone at home.

Those flowers that often do not need to be watered, just leave them in the room, and those that cannot do without water need to create temporary conditions of detention.

Ways to water houseplants while on vacation

For watering indoor plants in any of the ways, use settled water at room temperature.

Watering method number 1. The easiest way is to pour water into the pan, lay gauze in several layers on the bottom and put flower pots in it. The pallet can be wrapped with polyethylene so that the moisture does not evaporate and remains longer. In this way the flowers will last 1-2 weeks.

Watering method number 2. The next method is also quite simple. Lay a cloth on the bottom of the bath, fill the bath with water up to 5 cm deep and place pots with plants in the bath. Do not close the bathroom door. With this method, indoor plants can stand without watering for 2-3 weeks. The only negative is that the plants will not have enough light, or rather, it will be almost completely absent. Another thing, if your bathroom has a window, then this option will be just perfect for you. But there is also a downside to this method. The walls of the bathroom are cold, so hypothermia of the root system and its decay are possible.

Watering method number 3. Another way is to put flower pots in the tub. Take water to the brim flower pots so that the top edge of the pot is completely under water. Leave the flowers to absorb moisture for 40 minutes. Then take the flower pots out of the bath, wrap the pots in plastic or put them in plastic bags. Wrap the ends and secure with tape or paper clips at the base of the flower. Thus, the moisture will last longer. Take the plants to a bright place, but not on sunny window sills and not near radiators.

Watering method number 4. For this method, expanded clay and suitable capacity(pallet or basin). Pour expanded clay into the container with a layer of 3-4 cm. Pour water into the container with expanded clay so that the liquid rises several centimeters above the expanded clay. Put potted plants in a container on expanded clay.

Watering method number 5. This option will involve flower pots and plastic bottles. Pour water into the bottle and screw on the cap. Poke a hole in the lid with a needle. To easily make a hole, the needle needs to be heated. Place the bottle upside down in the soil. That's all! The water will gradually enter the soil and the flower will not dry out. Choose the size of the bottle according to the size of the pot and the plants in it, than more pot the bigger the bottle.

Watering method number 6. Here is another simple watering method. You will need a sponge and cardboard. The sponge should be abundantly soaked with water and put on the soil in a pot, covering the surface of the pot with a circle of cardboard. To do this, cut a circle out of cardboard with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the pot. Cut a hole in the center of the circle equal to the diameter of the plant stem. Make a cut in a circle in order to conveniently place it on the surface of the pot. The sponge will give moisture to the plant through the soil, and the cardboard circle will not allow it to evaporate.

Watering method number 7. The next, the so-called wick method. Here you will need a stool, a basin or pan and gauze bandages. We put a container filled with water on a stool. We cut the bandages long enough so that one end is lowered into a container of water, and the other reaches the soil in a pot with a flower. The bandages are well wetted with water, one end is lowered into the water, and the other is dug into the soil. This method will help the flowers not dry out for a month or more. This method is very efficient. Firstly, you can easily water a large number of plants. Second, avoid root rot and mold on the soil. And thirdly, the flower will take exactly as much moisture as it needs.

Watering method number 8. Another very simple and convenient way. We lay an oilcloth on a table or other flat, convenient surface for you, put a wet oilcloth on the oilcloth. terry towel or other similar, highly absorbent fabric. We put pots with plants on a towel, pallets or saucers from under the pots must be removed. Dip the edge of the towel into a container filled with water. That's all! Everything is very simple! In this way you will water a large number of plants. And if you cover the container with water with polyethylene, then there will be enough moisture for a month or more.

Watering method number 9. The next method of watering with hydrogel. What is a hydrogel and how it works can be found in the article:. The hydrogel will need to be saturated with water and placed on the surface of the soil in a flower pot. This method is also very simple and safe for plants.

Watering method number 10. This method is also very simple, but for its use you need to purchase a special automatic watering system for plants.

Flowers during the holidays had time to povit

You are back from vacation, and your green pets are still limp! Do not despair, they can be quickly reanimated. To do this, first water the flower. Then a wooden block is placed at the bottom in a large basin or other container. A pot with a flower is placed on the bar. Hot water is poured into the basin, but not boiling water. The water level is brought to 3-4 cm below the top edge wooden block. From hot water steam will go. With the help of this steam, the flower will come to its senses, saturated with life-giving moisture. The resuscitation time will be 30 minutes, then put the flower in its usual place.

Here, perhaps, are all the main ways of watering indoor plants during their "loneliness". Having mastered any of the watering methods you like, you can safely and without worries about green pets leave your house for a while and relax.

Have a nice vacation!

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Man cannot live without rest, and plants cannot live without water. Sometimes these needs come into conflict, because few people would think of taking indoor flowers with them on vacation or giving up a long-awaited trip in order to care for house plants. As a rule, we trust close relatives and friends to water flowers during the holidays. However, this solution is not always feasible. Firstly, once again I don’t want to burden others with my worries. And, secondly, relatives and friends may simply not know how often and with what intensity to water your violet, geranium, crocus, etc. To save yourself from unnecessary worries, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most reliable and effective ways organization of automatic watering of indoor flowers during your absence.

Devices for automatic watering of indoor flowers

In specialized flower shops you can find several useful devices that are able to provide automatic watering flowers during the holidays. Let's take a closer look at their features and effectiveness:

Aquaglob. This device is made in the form of a round flask with a very narrow spout. The essence of the device is quite simple: the aquaglob is filled with water, turned over and immersed in the soil with a narrow part. Since the opening of the flask is extremely thin, the water does not pour out of it immediately, but seeps out gradually.

Depending on the size, aquaglob can provide automatic watering of flowers for a period of one to two weeks.

Blumat (Blumat), which means “carrot” in translation, refers to an automatic drip irrigation system. The design of this device includes a cone-shaped base and a plastic tube. The base is immersed in the soil, and the tube is immersed in a tank of water. Since the system is equipped with special sensors, water enters the soil in a dosed manner. When the earth dries out, the device fills it with water, but if there is enough moisture, the valve on the sensor closes, and moisture is not transmitted. Thus, the device "waters" the flowers as long as there is water in the reservoir.

Cache-pot with automatic watering. Cache-pots and pots with automatic watering are equipped with a special water storage and transfer system, which is located at the bottom of the products. When you water the flowers, the rest of the moisture remains in the device, and then evenly distributed over the soil as it dries.

Some of these planters and pots, in addition, are equipped with an indicator that allows you to set the mode and intensity of watering for several weeks in advance.

Devices for automatic watering flowers from improvised means

Everything modern systems automatic watering of indoor plants are created in the likeness of the well-known improvised designs. Therefore, it is possible to organize watering flowers during the holidays from improvised means.

Autowatering from a dropper. With watering flowers during your absence or vacation, a simple medical dropper can handle. To create an automatic sprinkler, you need to attach the dropper tube to the water tank and adjust the intensity of the dripping with a clamp. After that, put the dropper needle on the ground near the roots of the plant, but do not deepen it into the soil, otherwise it will quickly clog.

Watering flowers while on vacation - drip

How to water flowers when you leave home

Automatic watering from a plastic bottle. An ordinary plastic bottle will also help to save flowers during the holidays. To make a flower drinker out of it with your own hands, you need to draw water into the jar, put a thin mesh on the neck, screw on the lid and use a needle to punch several small holes in the lid. After that, the drinker bank is turned upside down and deepened into the soil. Water will gradually seep through the holes and the plants will not be left without moisture. But, since the intensity of the “bottle” watering cannot be adjusted, it is likely that the drinker will flood the plant. To avoid this annoyance, use automatic bottle watering only for large-scale pots and moisture-loving plants.

Automatic watering from capillary mats. Unlike previous methods, automatic watering with the help of capillary mats provides the soil with extremely slow, but regular moisture. This method of automatic watering is very simple: you need to put a wide piece of cloth under the pot and lower its free edge into a container of water. Because the fabric tolerates moisture well, the soil will be hydrated through the pot's drainage holes.

As a capillary mat, it is best to use a terry towel that gets wet quickly or a ready-made capillary mat.

Wick watering. It involves the transfer of water to plants through a wick - any rope or cord that does not rot from moisture. One end of the wick is placed in a container of water, and the other is deepened into the soil. To ensure faster and better humidification, it is recommended to install a water tank above the level of the pot.

If shortly before leaving you decide to transplant the flowers, then pull the wick through the drainage hole of the pot and place it on a tray of water. In this way, root system plants will receive moisture without your participation.

We have already figured out a little about how to water flowers when you go on vacation. Now let's look at a few important nuances, which will help to preserve the flowers during your departure:

firstly, so that the plants waste moisture more slowly, move them to a cool and dark place;

secondly, install the pots close to each other so that the most capricious specimens are in the middle;

and thirdly, whichever automatic watering system you choose, on the day of departure, water the plants abundantly and spray their leaves.

In addition, to reduce the amount of evaporation, place drainage, moss or hydrogel around the flower pots. If a plant is very capricious and demanding to care for, cover it with a plastic cap with air holes, thus creating the most favorable microclimate.

A simple way to auto-water flowers while away from home

In order for automatic watering of flowers during the holidays to be truly effective and safe, experiment with it in advance. Choose the optimal intensity of irrigation and the method of automatic water supply, and then your plant pets will thank you with health and beauty.

Evgeny Sedov

When hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)

It is very important to ensure regular watering of indoor plants during your absence. It can be done different ways using professional tools and systems own production from improvised materials.

How to save flowers when you go on vacation

Before you leave home for a long time and provide the flowers with regular watering with the help of special devices, the plants must be prepared in advance. To do this, it is recommended to carry out the following procedures:

1. Stop feeding 14 days before the holiday. After fertilization, plants need water to ensure better absorption of minerals.
2. Carry out partial pruning of leaves, buds, without damaging the flowers. So the evaporation of moisture will occur more slowly.
3. Carry out pest control, treat the flower, if necessary.
4. Put the pots in a darkened part of the room, away from the windows or draw the curtains. Reducing light, lowering temperature will reduce evaporation.
5. Move the pots closer together, gathering them into a compact group. So you create a microclimate where there will be high humidity.
6. Flowers that love high humidity, can be covered with polyethylene, securing it around the container with an elastic band. For small seedlings, glass containers are suitable.
7. Eliminate drafts by closing all doors and windows.
8. Water the plants before going on vacation, using more water than usual. It is important not to flood the flowers! For some indoor flowers, use the immersion method.
9. Clay pots can be overlaid with wet moss or wrapped with a damp cloth, and on top with polyethylene, after moistening the soil.
10. Create high humidity by laying a layer of gravel, expanded clay on the bottom of a large pot. Place a pot with a plant on top and pour water so that it does not touch the bottom of the container with a flower.

Ways to water plants

After preparing indoor plants, you can begin to organize automatic watering. The simplest and most effective ways:

Wick method

To organize the watering of indoor flowers by the wick method, before leaving on vacation, you need to make a wick from fabric, bandage, gauze or woolen thread. One end must be placed at the bottom of the pot, brought out through the drainage hole in the container, and then the plant is transplanted. Place a container of water under the pot and lower the second end of the wick there.

If the transplant was not planned, you can organize wick watering of indoor plants in the absence of the owners in a different way. One end of the fabric (rope) must be placed on the surface of the pot, the substrate is poured on top, and the other end is lowered into a vessel with liquid located on a hill. The wick method is suitable for small flowers (violets, saintpaulias) and can always be used.

Watering through the drainage holes in the pot

Automatic watering of plants during a 20-day vacation can be arranged using a long piece of fabric (towels, thick batting, an unnecessary blanket). A stand for flowerpots is covered with a film, and placed on top damp cloth, one end of which is lowered into a basin of water. Pots with well-watered plants are placed on top of the fabric on a stand. It is important that there are drainage holes at the bottom through which the flowers will absorb moisture.

Drip irrigation from a plastic bottle

The self-watering system from plastic bottles will provide plants with moisture for 15-20 days. To do this, you need to prepare containers with a volume of 1.5 and 2 liters and test the device before leaving on vacation to determine how much water each flower will need. To make a watering can, you need to make holes in the lid and bottom of a plastic bottle with a hot nail, a thick needle or an awl. Then pour the liquid, tighten the cork and immerse the bottle neck down into the flowerpot. Such a system is suitable for a constant supply of moisture to large plants.

Automatic watering of flowers in pots using a dropper tube is very effective. You need to remove the tip from it, place one end on the surface of the soil, and attach a weight to the second and lower it into a container of water placed on a hill. At in large numbers plants will need several of these tubes, which must be tied together at the point of attachment of the sinker. If you correctly adjust the fluid supply rate, indoor flowers will be provided with moisture for a long period. This watering pad is suitable for any plants.

Professional flower care products for the holidays

Video

If your vacation is a joy, then for indoor plants this is a serious test.

Before leaving, try to make sure that they get through the parting painlessly and meet you green and blooming.

The most serious problem that the flowers will experience during your vacation is the lack of water. You can solve it by buying special devices. The simplest is powered by a Krona battery and has a reservoir for irrigation. This should be enough for 2-3 weeks. If you don’t need additional expenses before your vacation, you can do without store equipment.

Eight tips on how to prepare plants for prolonged loneliness.

1 Remove the flowers from the windowsill or close the curtains more tightly. The less light, the slower the life processes in plants, which means they will need less moisture.

2 Water the soil well so that it is saturated with water. The pot can be wrapped with a damp newspaper, and on top also with cellophane. This will reduce moisture loss.

3 Small plants should be covered with plastic or glass caps, bottles, but so that their edges do not extend beyond the pot and let air through from below. Evaporating water will condense on the walls and drain back into the ground.

4 You can put a clay pot in a plastic bigger size, and fill the space between the walls of the pots with expanded clay, abundantly moistened with water.

5 Take plastic bottle, fill with water for irrigation and pierce the cork with an awl heated over a fire or a thin knitting needle. The same hole must be made at the bottom of the bottle. Then put it in a pot with the neck down, deepening it into the ground by 2-3 cm. Water, flowing out drop by drop, will moisten the soil for a long time. But such "bottle" watering requires a preliminary check. The holes may be too large, and then the soil will be waterlogged. Or, conversely, the water will flow out too slowly. Pick up optimal size holes can only be trial and error.

6 You can collect the pots in a basin and put in the bathroom. Plants will stay fresh for a long time if the bottom of the basin is covered with a well-absorbent pad (felt, rug), and then several layers of newspapers are placed. Open the faucet so that water flows out of it drop by drop. Just do not forget to leave the drain open, otherwise the neighbors will not be flooded for long. However, this method is not suitable for flowers that can not do without sunlight for a long time.

7 Effectively moistens the soil and such " plumbing system": a woolen thread or bandage is dropped from one end into the ground in a pot, and the other end is lowered into a container of water, which should be located above the pot. You can also use wicks from any fabric that conducts water well. It is only important to consider the size of the pot. For a small one, it is enough one connecting "pipe", and for plants located in larger containers, several threads or wicks will be required.If the plant is not afraid of waterlogging, you can use this method of watering to place the pot in plastic bag and tape it over the top.

8 For plants that are grown in pots with good drainage holes in the bottoms, the following method can be used. Lay an oilcloth on the table (so as not to spoil the furniture), on it - a wide strip of any dense, well-moistened fabric (cloth, felt, gabardine rug, old children's blanket). Place pots with already watered plants on the fabric. The end of the cloth should hang off the table and drop into a large container of water placed just below the plants, such as on a high chair. In this case, the fabric lying on the table will not dry for a long time, and the plants will receive water through the drainage holes of the pot.

Remember that all these methods are designed for a maximum of three to four weeks of your absence. If you have to leave for a longer period, then you can’t do without complex store-bought automatic watering systems. However, they can be successfully replaced by neighbors or relatives.

5-7 days before departure, carefully check if the plants are affected by pests and diseases. Remove from the plant all dried and disease-damaged shoots and leaves, as well as large buds and flowers. Treat diseased plants with the appropriate preparations.

It is better to cut off too large leaves.

Plants should be placed in a lit place, but not in the sun.

Close both doors and windows so that there are no drafts in the room where the plants will remain.

2-3 weeks before departure, stop all types of top dressing.

If you leave the plants in a tray of water, place the flower pots on a raised rock or wooden stand to keep the roots warm.

Flowers in ceramic pots tolerate "separation" better than those that live in plastic containers.

The most unpretentious

Tradescantia, begonia, dracaena easily tolerate a temporary lack of moisture. But in a week they will want to "drink".

Aloe, agave, euphorbia comb well tolerate temporary "droughts" and love sunlight, so it is better to leave them in a room on the windowsill, having previously watered well or provided with drip irrigation.

Palm trees and ficuses that live on the balcony, it is better to bring them into the room during the holidays. And also provide drip (or other) irrigation. Of course, they are also unpretentious to moisture, but they can get sick in three weeks of your absence.