Going away and have to keep your plants watered, try this
By Nancy Zink
@ramapo17 (30441)
Melbourne, Florida
June 16, 2018 10:32pm CST
My husband and I are very often leaving Florida to go up north to see the kids and grandsons. I have so many plants that are not planted in the soil so I have a unique way to keep them watered enough until I get home, no matter how long I am gone.
I have many big 28 ounce tubs and larger ones that I fill up with water the week before we leave to get it started, I cut rope pieces long enough to fit into the soil of the plant and the other end into the bucket of water. The end in the water has to touch the bottom of the tubs (or buckets, whatever you have). This will create a constant amount of water to keep the plants living.
If we are going for a long time my neighbor just fills up the buckets of water without touching any of the plants.
When we first started traveling back and forth like this I had the neighbor water the plants with a hose and she was out there for hours. I always paid her but that was getting expensive. Now my neighbors are doing the same thing.
I have some of my big buckets of water keeping a few plants wet at the same time.
Let me know if you try this and if you have any questions. It has to be a cotton rope. This is important, it has to be cotton as that absorbs the water the best.
18 people like this
19 responses
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
17 Jun 18
That is interesting! thank for the idea.
4 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95648)
• Marion, Ohio
17 Jun 18
Thanks for the idea. I might try it with a couple that love water
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jun 18
Great idea Nancy! But have you ever come home and found that your plants escaped by climbing up the rope to get away?
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40063)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Jun 18
@ramapo17 - Wow! What a great idea. I will give it a try!
1 person likes this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
21 Jun 18
Make sure to use a cotton rope @DeborahDiane. And soak them the day before you use them. They absorb better that way.
1 person likes this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
22 Jun 18
@DeborahDiane Try it ahead of time to make sure it works for you. Just remember the rope has to be cotton and touching the bottom of the water container filled with water and inserted into the soil of the plant. I use a pencil to make the hole in the soil. The best rope is like an old fashioned clothes line.
I usually soak the rope in water before even starting this as the whole rope will be nice and wet then.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40063)
• Laguna Woods, California
22 Jun 18
@ramapo17 - Thank you so much for this idea. I love it and will certainly give it a try. I am going to be gone for two weeks later this summer.
1 person likes this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
17 Jun 18
Hi Nancy. I have never tried that. It is my mommy who does it since she loves to water her plants.
2 people like this
@Jessabuma (31700)
• Baguio, Philippines
17 Jun 18
That's interesting! Thanks for sharing
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
18 Jun 18
It seems like a great idea. Do you have any pictures that we could see?
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
21 Jun 18
@kepweng Yes! I have quite a few pots with plants on my balcony and every day I eat a few leaves or lettuce and herbs.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130084)
• India
17 Jun 18
When we had planted coconut saplings in our new property we had bought huge pots and placed one each next to the saplings. The pots had a tiny hole and the water dripped gently. Just likeyou we had requested someone to fill the pots once week.
I have heard of your system which is called wick irrigation system.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72279)
• Philippines
17 Jun 18
Oh that's interesting and very helpful tip for those who travel a lot.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
18 Jun 18
Hmmm... what a good idea, Nancy! I have been using those bulbs that you fill and buy the nozzle in the dirt but they don't last for more than five days...
I may try your idea in my house plants. Some of them are in front of the window and dry out faster than I realize so start losing leaves before I notice them.
Thanks!
1 person likes this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
19 Jun 18
Hello @DaddyEvil So happy to see you here again. I use to use those bulb watering things to but like you, they did not last long. When I go away I never know how long until I get back home. I use to use it sometimes but I forgot about it once I was down here. I have so many plants now and in the winter I have lots of seeds growing as bulbs. The whole screen room is loaded with plants. I had a lot of big buckets that I get chips etc in and I keep them for this purpose. I divide all the plants into how big they are and use some very big buckets for them and use smaller ones for smaller plants. I am still in the process of getting all my plants outside but it is so darn hot out I refuse to go out some days.
It was great for my neighbor that could just take the hose and fill up the buckets once or twice while I was gone.
Hope you are Pretty are well and I have thought about you often. Are you still working?
@JESSY3236 (18953)
• United States
22 Jun 18
neat idea. I'm going to favorite this to let my mother let this since we might be gone for a few days in a few weeks.
1 person likes this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
22 Jun 18
Just make sure the rope is cotton, it is soaked completely before inserting into the soil and make a hole in the soil with the end of a pencil, or something similar. Make sure to use containers that are big enough to hold a lot of water especially if you put in more than one rope in the water at a time. I have had at least 5 ropes in to big 5 gallon buckets and I make sure the ropes are touching the bottom of the buckets of water.
1 person likes this
