How to save indoor flowers when going on vacation. How to water flowers while on vacation or an extended absence How to water flowers while away
With the advent of summer, every year comes the time for holidays. People leave their apartments and houses and go on vacation. Houseplants are left unattended in housing. If the trip does not take many days, then nothing terrible will happen to them. The situation is worse when a person goes on a long-awaited vacation for a month, and there is no one to ask to look after the flowers.
Now on the Internet there are many ways to help keep flowers from drying out. Each hostess can choose any one that she likes the most. You can also use multiple options.
How to water flowers when you go on vacation for a month: elementary ways to keep plants moist
Houseplants during the absence of the owners will need mostly only moisture. There are elementary ways that will take a minimum of time and will help keep the flower alive without watering.
1. Before leaving, you need to pour plenty of water on the plants and spray them well.
2. It is worth ridding the plant of buds and extra leaves, so that it would be easier for the flower to survive the lack of moisture.
3. If the flowers are on the windowsill, then you need to move them to another place where the plants will be as far away from sun rays. This will help them retain moisture longer. But this method will practically stop the growth of the flower.
How to water flowers when you go on vacation for a month: automatic plant watering systems
Scientists took care of the plants, and came up with automatic watering systems. They can be easily found in any city. They are perfect for those people who often go on business trips or travel, and are worried about their plants. These systems can be used not only during the absence, but also constantly. There are various types.
All plants are individual, some need moisture more and more often, others less and less. AT automatic system watering, the hostess herself will be able to choose the time and volume of water for each flower.
There are also devices that need to be connected to water. This option is suitable for those people who do not block the water supply during departure. For those who turn off the water, they came up with systems with containers for it. A person can choose the required volume at the time of purchase.
with system automatic watering a person will be able to enjoy the rest without worrying about the life of their plants.
How to water flowers when you go on vacation for a month: other options for moisturizing plants
For those people who leave their apartments unattended not the same and often, and do not have extra money for automatic watering systems, there are other options for caring for plants:
1. Application plastic bottles in the economy is not an innovation. You can even make a drinker out of them, which will water the flowers on time. You need to make two holes in it: at the bottom and in the cork. Then you should fill it with water and bury it in a pot so that the cork is as close to the roots as possible. Before leaving the craft in a flower, it is better to check its effectiveness in empty pot and fix any bugs.
2. Many in their lives have met hydrogel in stores. It can also be used to water plants in the absence of tenants. On the upper ground in a pot you need to put these balls and cover with moss. The hydrogel will give moisture to the flower and save it from drying out.
3. To moisten the flowers, you can use a cloth called a "capillary mat". It is very easy to use. It is necessary to wet and put on a surface that will not allow water to flow out, and put flower pots on top. They will receive the necessary moisture for the roots.
4. For this craft, you will need a bottle of water and threads that absorb moisture well. You can use a thin tube. The bottle needs to be filled with water and placed a little higher than the pot. From the neck and to the roots of the flower you need to stretch the thread. It will stay constantly wet. This method will help the plant get the right moisture and protect it from drying out. However, you need to choose for crafts appropriate place and keep out of the heat. Because the thread can dry out.
Often, along with the beauty and picturesqueness of home flowers, we are overtaken by the problems associated with caring for them. Perhaps the main issue was and always will be taking care of plants during a long absence. I propose to deal with all possible and easily implemented ways to solve the problem together.
Where to start?
Watering indoor plants in the absence of owners is not the end of the world. All difficulties can be easily dealt with if you go through the initial stages in advance:
| Image | Plant preparation |
| Step 1 Remove Exposed Lights.
You can avoid losses in a harmonious row of pets if you remove them in advance from open light sources (windowsills, balconies, open air flowerpots) or close the curtains tightly. The main life processes in plants depend on lighting, and therefore, less moisture will be consumed in the shade. |
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Step 2 Eliminate drafts.
Before leaving, be sure to check the rooms with plants for drafts, it is better to close the doors in advance. |
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Step 3 Remove damaged sheets.
Remove any damaged or dried leaves, as well as cut off very large buds and shoots. Regularly monitor whether the flowers are affected by pests or diseases. Treat diseased plants with special preparations, this will help preserve the life of flowers during your absence. |
Choosing the right method
Even at the very experienced florist sometimes unforeseen situations happen. For these purposes, you can choose the least costly method - both from a financial point of view and taking into account the amount of time. But how to keep the flowers, if you go on vacation, in perfect condition?
Among all sorts of options can be distinguished:
- requiring sleight of hand and some improvised materials from us;
- requiring the use of a special automatic watering system.
3 options for automatic watering flowers from improvised materials
What can be done as soon as possible to preserve the beauty and health of green pets? Instructions on how to make automatic watering of indoor plants with your own hands are presented in the table:
| Description | illustrative example |
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Option 1. Watering through the "wick":
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Option 2. Hydration through fabric:
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Option 3. Plastic bottle:
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Option 4 - professional tools
Today there are hundreds of ways to build automatic watering for indoor flowers. Automatic watering of indoor plants can be arranged using special devices. You can find them in almost any flower shop. Devices differ in cost and time during which self-watering is carried out.
Aquaglob - simplest design. This is a special vessel, usually made of glass (rarely plastic) with a thin cone-shaped tube. Aquaglobe is filled with water and lowered with a neck into the soil, the water gradually drains and moistens the soil. When the soil dries out, the process of gas formation begins, air bubbles enter the vessel and part of the water enters the soil again.
What is the best houseplant watering system for you? To answer this question, first you need to determine what elements it should have:
- Water containers and vessels who will guide her;
- Special tips made of porous components so as not to clog with soil;
- Timer to determine the time and frequency of watering;
- Water flow regulator in the tank;
- Sensor to determine the moisture content of the soil;
- Pump pumping water.
The price of such devices can vary greatly. But in the future, you can safely leave flowers for the duration of your vacation.
Types, material and shape of the pot
Flower care is greatly simplified if it is carried out systematically and taking into account the characteristics of each plant. But not only the variety of this or that type of flower plays a key role, it is also important that the material from which the pot is made is of high quality.
And in order for the plants to feel good enough during your absence, you need to pay attention to the size and material of the container. Types and shapes of pots that would become cozy houses for indoor flowers are varied. Main options:
- clay;
- plastic;
- ceramic.
Each of them can be either with holes on the side or bottom, or without them (pots). Separately, you can select pots with automatic watering systems.
Do not forget that for some plants, for example, you need to be especially careful when choosing a container. So, in clay pots, flowers that require very frequent watering. Therefore, they should be used only after a thorough study of the characteristics of a particular flower.
It is convenient to plant young plants in plastic pots, this greatly simplifies the process of their reproduction. It is advisable to use clay and ceramic pots for adults with sufficiently overgrown flowers.
So, if for the most part your indoor plants live in clay pots, then one of the most right ways how to water flowers during a long absence, this container will be moved to a larger plastic one.
The space between the walls must be filled with moistened expanded clay or a well-moistened cloth. FROM plastic pots things are a little simpler, it will be enough to place the plants in small containers filled with water so that the lower part of the pot is in the water.
Conclusion
An active lifestyle, vacation or unforeseen circumstances should not affect your cozy green paradise. Having built a self-watering system for plants, you can not worry about their safety for a long time.
The video in this article has great examples how to water flowers when you go on vacation to avoid their death. Ask your questions in the comments.
Indoor flowers are beauty and comfort in the house, as well as fresh air enriched with oxygen. However, they require systematic care and proper watering otherwise they may die. This problem becomes especially relevant when you need a long absence, when you need to leave for a vacation or weekend.
It is good when there are relatives or close friends who could be trusted with watering flowers during the holidays. But in the summer they can also go on vacation. In order to save plants, it is better to familiarize yourself with the options for self-watering systems and how to use materials at hand in advance.
Plant preparation
A long break in the care and watering of plants is stressful, so you should prepare them for it in advance, make sure that there are no problems.
- In the light, metabolic processes are more active in plants, so they consume more moisture. To slow down metabolic reactions in plant cells, it is necessary to provide them with a more shady shelter - draw the curtains more tightly and remove the pots from the windowsill.
- The soil under the plants should be well moistened, then wrap the pots with wet paper, and on top of it with plastic wrap.
- Small flowers for the holidays can be covered with glass or transparent plastic tank, but loosely - air must flow from below for their breathing. Evaporating moisture, condensing on the walls of the cap, will flow back.
- Remove large buds from flowers that require more moisture, as well as dried leaves.
- If there are diseased plants, they should be treated with preparations a few days before departure.
- Ten days before the holiday, stop feeding.
- Eliminate drafts in the room where the plants are located.
- If the pots are standing in water, it is better to place coasters under them so that the roots cannot freeze.
- Flowers will feel more comfortable in earthenware than in plastic.
Remote watering methods
How to water the flowers during the holidays so that they do not dry out and disappear from an excess of moisture? Travelers should take into account the following facts.
- Plants located in ceramic pots, for a period of up to seven days or a little more, it is possible to leave using easy way: having sufficiently moistened the soil in the pot, it is necessary to wrap it with a thick layer of wet moss. In its absence, you need to put the clay pot in a more spacious plastic container, and between them pour a layer of expanded clay and moisten it well with water.
- Plastic pots with moisture-loving plants should preferably be left in trays filled with water to a third of the height of the pot. From above, the substrate must be covered with wet moss or expanded clay.
- well, water all the pots with excess before leaving them at home;
- then you need to leave them in the pan for a while so that the glass has excess moisture;
- collect all the flowers in the back of the room, as compactly as possible;
- put pots with moisture-loving plants in the middle, surrounding them with more hardy ones;
- arrange around as many containers as possible with large quantity water - evaporating, it will be absorbed by green leaves.
- cover the stand with waterproof oilcloth or film;
- put a soft, damp cloth on top of it - an old blanket, thick batting will do;
- lower one edge of the fabric into a large container of water;
- place pre-watered pots on the blanket;
- flowers will absorb moisture from wet tissue thanks to drainage holes.
Wick watering
- You can organize continuous watering of indoor flowers during the holidays using a woolen twine wick. One of its ends should be put in a pot with a flower, lightly sprinkled with soil, and the other should be lowered into a container located above the pot and filled with water. This irrigation option is very convenient, but you need to correctly calculate the number of wicks depending on the size of the plant.
- The wick method is often used for watering smaller flowers such as violets. But he requires transplanting them into a dish with a cord laid at the bottom. The pot itself is installed on a jar of water, the second end of the cord is lowered into it. Water, rising along the cord, provides soil moisture.
- Since it is very convenient to water flowers with the help of devices that provide uniform drip access of water, thin tubes are often used for this purpose, for example, pharmacy droppers without tips. If there are a lot of pots, you need to tie the same number of droppers. Next, you need to tie a sinker to them and lower them into a large bucket of water. Put it on an elevated place, and place pots around, in each of which fix the second end of the tube. If you properly adjust the flow of water, you get an excellent self-watering system that helps out during departures.
- One of the most simple options drip irrigation is a plastic bottle:
- make small holes in it from both ends;
- fix it upside down in a flower pot or above it;
- adjust the flow of water by changing the size of the hole so that indoor flowers do not dry out.
The main thing is to choose optimal size bottles for each plant. Due to its low cost and availability, this method is also widely used in gardens and orchards.
Use of hydrogels
- There are special polymers that have the unique ability to absorb large volumes of water and then gradually lose it. Their soft granules are added to the substrate for indoor plants, so the pots do not need to be watered often. If you transplant the plants into such soil and water well before leaving, they will be provided with enough water and will not dry out.
- Colored balls of Chinese hydrogel can be filled with water for several hours. The swollen granules must be mixed with top layer substrate, and top with moistened moss.
Automatic irrigation systems
Today there is big choice systems for automatic watering of plants. While on vacation, they can be trusted with flowers without fear that they will dry out.
The simplest of them and the cheapest consists of two parts. A ceramic cone with porous walls is installed in the ground and filled with water. It slowly hydrates the soil. With the help of a thin tube, water is supplied to it as it is spent. The system is extremely easy to use and reliable.
More complex devices have approximately the same mechanism of action and differ in price and time period during which watering is carried out. Basically, they consist of the following elements:
- a capacious container for water and tubes through which it will be supplied to the plants;
- special (not clogged with soil) tips made of porous material;
- timer for automatic irrigation control;
- a regulator that determines the flow of water;
- a sensor that measures soil moisture;
- pump for pumping water.
If you know how to organize watering during the holidays, you can safely go on vacation and not worry about the flowers temporarily left at home. However, the chosen method must be tested and adjusted in advance to be sure of its reliability.
The main thing that plants need in your absence is water. There can be two global outputs:
Keep the moisture that the plant received with the last watering for as long as possible. it a good option for a two week break. It can work with reservations even up to three weeks. He has only one advantage: he practically does not require financial investments.
Think about how to provide plants with water without human help. There are a variety of, including automatic ones. They are indispensable if the plants have to exist on their own for three weeks or more.
First, consider how to get out of the situation with a minimum of costs. So, indoor flowers can last up to fourteen days without watering, and even a little more if they are properly prepared. Of course, this is a last resort method, which has its drawbacks.
We remind you that this method of preserving plants is still quite stressful. Therefore, if you are away for more than a week, it makes sense to stock up on cuttings from your favorite species. They will take root in a jar of water while you are away.
Now about how ensure moisture supply. The construction described above will last longer if you add additional source water. It could very well be "handicraft" variant. For example, make holes in the lids, pour water and place the bottles upside down between the pots. Moisture should seep in drop by drop and moisten expanded clay. The hole size is determined experimentally.
Bottles prepared in this way can also be placed directly into. Required size bottles depends on the size of the root ball. For example, large tubers may need several bottles at once. But for plants in small pots, this method is hardly suitable.
Meanwhile, this is an effective method: there are similar devices industrial production
. The simplest ones are called aqua globs in English (glass aqua globes, glass watering sphere, watering tubesArchimedes by Brigadier Werkzeuge). They consist of glass flask, connected to a ceramic cone, which is immersed in the ground for more uniform moisture earthy coma.
Due to the capillary-porous structure of its walls, water oozes into the pot drop by drop. For big plants such devices are recommended to be used in the amount of several pieces at the same time. Ceramic cones Blumat Austria can be mentioned in the same row). They do not have a water tank that is screwed on top. They are connected to the water supply with a thin hose. 
Another well-known and most common among amateurs passive watering method for indoor plants- "connect" plants to a container of water using improvised wicks. It can be ropes, laces, woolen threads. different diameter, twisted bandages and so on. One end of the wick must be lowered into a container of water (for example, a basin), and the other end must be attached to a pot (for reliability, it will need to be fixed, for example, with a peg). Water will flow to the flowers due to the difference in capillary pressure.
In any case, both industrial and homemade systems moisture must be tested in advance. For example, to track the speed with which a particular wick conducts water. And it may turn out that in an hour or two the basin will be empty, and the plants will be in a pool of water. It is also important to choose a container right size so that the plants have enough water, and determine at what level in relation to the pots it is best to put it: at the same height, higher or lower.
good decision for passive irrigation can become capillary mats- mats made of hygroscopic material. They are sold in many garden centers and they are inexpensive. (For home use, do not purchase capillary geotextiles made from recycled materials.) The capillary mat can be spread on any flat surface, for example, on a table by lowering one of its edges into a container of water. Be sure to lay a film under the rug to protect the surface from moisture. If it is difficult to lower the end of the rug into a container of water, you can cut off strips from its edge, moisten them with water, and then lower one end into the container, and place the other under the rug. By the way, you can try to adapt these same stripes as wicks. 
There are ready-made pallets for automatic watering of plants using capillary mats, for example, manufactured by Garland (England). They consist of a deep outer pan, an inner pan and a capillary mat. Pour water into the outer tray, insert the inner tray lined with a rug into it, and make plants on it. The mat will draw water from the pan and give it to the plants. Manufacturers promise that in this way the plants will be able to survive up to two weeks of your absence. Moreover, the roots of the plants are guaranteed not to rot.
It is not worth composing directly into a container of water. Even if you do not want to buy capillary mats or expanded clay "in industrial" quantities. This method is well suited, for example, for, but in most other species common in room culture, if the pot is immersed in water for a long time, the roots are likely to rot.
It is likely that after considering all these "simple" ways to water your houseplants, you will decide to purchase an automatic watering system that is similar in design, but works more efficiently and reliably.
We thank the online store Mastergrow.ru and Nikolai Vavakin for the samples provided for shooting.
The benefits of indoor flowers have long been known. Enriching the air with oxygen and moisture, pleasing to the eye with their beauty, they require constant care. When planning a vacation or a long trip, indoor plant lovers who have not managed to find those who will look after the green guard begin to overcome the alarming question - how will the flowers be watered during the absence of the owner? Fortunately, this problem has long been resolved. It is enough to properly prepare the flowers for your departure, install the automatic watering mechanism and you can set off on a journey with peace of mind.
Preparing houseplants for vacation
Indoor flowers left unattended long time, experts advise to prepare. You can do this in the following way:
- A couple of weeks before departure, stop feeding the plants with various additives. This is necessary in order to slow them down. active growth and somewhat reduce appetite.
- When there is 8-10 days left before the longed-for vacation, you need to carefully remove all diseased and affected leaves.
- Just before leaving, from the windowsills flower pots it is recommended to remove
- Buds need to be cut off. This keeps fluid intake to a minimum. This should be done carefully, taking into account the ability of the plant to subsequently recover.
- Spill the soil in the flowerpot thoroughly with water, while it is important not to overdo it. The earth should be saturated with liquid, but not become wet. It will be possible to reduce the evaporation of moisture if you wrap the pot with moistened newspaper and cellophane on top.
- It is desirable to place all pots in a large container with liquid poured at the bottom. However, they should not touch the water. Thus, it will be possible to achieve the desired level of humidity near green spaces.
- It makes sense to make a dome of transparent film around the leaves. A similar procedure allows you to create something like a greenhouse.
- Clay pots would be nice to be placed in plastic vessels bigger size. Fill the resulting void between the walls with expanded clay soaked in water.
Homemade automatic watering systems
Everyone can prepare simple mechanisms for automatic watering at home.
Wicks
You will need a fabric that absorbs moisture well. It is cut into strips, from which the wicks are twisted. One end of the device is buried in the soil of a flower pot, the other is placed in a container with water. As the soil dries out, the wick will keep it moist. Moreover, it should not just be wetted with water, but absorb it well. This needs to be followed up. Important! This wick method can be used for up to 10 days.
The disadvantage of this method is that in the heat the tissue flagellum will dry out quickly, and the liquid will flow into the ground in small volumes. To improve the situation, it is recommended to purchase special wicks and rods made of porous ceramics. With such devices, drying out can be avoided.
Medical droppers
An excellent automatic watering system will come from droppers used in medicine. One end is placed in a container with liquid, the other in the ground, preferably closer to the edge of the pot. When leaving for a short time, it is better to use the clip provided with the dropper.
When planning a long departure, it is recommended to close the tube by puncturing a small hole in it. Or make the gap in the needle narrower.
Alternatively, you can put a porous atomizer at the end of the tube (these are usually used to supply air to an aquarium).
Plastic bottles
A fairly simple, but quite effective method using plastic bottles. Such a container is filled with liquid to the very neck. A small hole is made in the lid with which the bottle is closed. The resulting device is turned upside down and screwed into the soil of the pot. Water, gradually flowing through the hole in the lid, will moisten the soil. To speed up watering, the bottom of the bottle should be pierced. It is important to ensure that the hole is very small. In this case, water will not flow out more than it should, and rotting will be avoided.
Automatic watering mechanisms
If you don’t have the time or desire to arrange an automatic watering system on your own, then you can purchase ready-made and convenient mechanisms at any flower shop. Their high cost is justified by reliability and efficiency in use.
- Gardena- a device that allows you to provide metered watering for indoor flowers that need different amount moisture. The system, powered by the mains, provides plants with water once every 24 hours. One device is able to water several pots at the same time.
- Blumat- a mechanism consisting of a narrow ceramic cone and a silicone tube. The cone should be stuck into the ground, filled with water and closed. Lower the end of the tube into a container with liquid. Moisture will gradually be absorbed into the ground, seeping through the porous walls of the device. As the water leaves the cone, a new portion will come from the vessel through the tube.
- Oasis- comfortable, perfect autonomous system holding 25 liters of liquid. The unit is powered by a battery. He is able to water up to 20 pots for 2-5 weeks.
- RAIN SMART- domestic system of metered automatic watering, powered by electricity. Able to dispense from 50 ml at a time. up to 3.5 liters of moisture. Watering frequency can be adjusted.
"Smart pots" for automatic watering
If the upcoming long absence became known in advance, you can purchase special pots. A few months before the trip, indoor plants are transplanted into such containers, consisting of three parts:
- top (for soil);
- middle (intermediate layer consisting of mesh material);
- bottom (for water).
You need to plant flowers in such a pot most in the usual way and take care too. But after a few months, the roots of the plant will grow through the middle mesh layer and the flower will receive the necessary moisture already from the lower reservoir.
Hydrogel will solve the problem of drought
Many flower growers use a special hydrogel. Unique polymer granules are able to absorb huge volumes of liquid. Crystals are pre-soaked in water for 7-8 hours. Once in the liquid, they begin to absorb it intensively, while increasing in size. Then this moisture is dosed out to the root system of plants. Moreover, with an excess of liquid, the hydrogel absorbs it back.
How to care for plants after returning
Those who have used the automatic watering methods described above are not in danger of unexpected surprises in the form of dried, wilted or ruined indoor flowers. Upon returning, it is necessary to carefully examine each plant, remove rotten or dried parts. Soak the soil in pots with water through the bottom watering.
Exposing plants to the light immediately is not recommended. It is better to accustom them to bright lighting gradually.
Care indoor plants during a period of prolonged absence of a person is necessary. Automatic or self-made irrigation systems - great option for those who could not find a "nanny" for their green garrison.
Video: how to water flowers during the holidays