keeping beds/pots wet while away?

16 years ago

I am so excited but also a bit worried, I got the news we will be going camping for 4 days starting friday. Excited to go but worried about all my babies. I will probably be able to get DD to come water one day but I don't really want to put anyone in charge thinking it is all taken care of only to return to baked pots and beds. Is there something that can be done that may hold them over for a few days if I water well fri and come home monday? I think I will put all the pots in the shade, and was thinking of piling on the compost/mulch but what about say soaked newpapers or grass clippings?

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Comments (5)

trudi_d
16 years ago
You need a water-timer for your outdoor spigot, you can get them at Home Depot, Loews, etc. Set it up and attach a hose and sprinkler. Let the sprinkler automatically water your pots while you're away.

I use a light layer of grass clippings on all my beds, they work well for preventing evaporation from direct sun or wind, unfortunately, they do not last long. I usually have to replace the clippings within six-weeks.
brightmoregirl
16 years ago
Maidinmontana, I have an idea for your pots. Go out and purchase a preformed kids size pool, here they are blue and made of a heavy plastic, then put them in the shade, water them and put about 4 in. of water in the pool to keep the pots wet. The plants that are in the ground I'm not sure how to keep watered and cool. Maybe put a shade cloth, or screens around them. hope this helps.
Jennie
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Yeah, Marquest! Awesome!!!! I reuse them until they fall apart, most of my plants are still in these kinds of pots. Also so easy to make the holes bigger or add more, which I do to almost any/every pot. Going to a swap in Panama City in a couple weeks and mentioned that I have too many on the discussion and somebody wants a stack. I don't make beds and I don't wash pots, and never throw away anything that's good for something to somebody. If I don't need it, it will disappear quickly if I put it at the curb, or I figure out who can use it and give it to them. I found a wholesale place in N FL that I go near about once a week. When there's no plants to buy over winter, I'll probably hit that place up for some better pots a few times. They're so heavy though. I already worry (well that's too strong of a word, but it crosses my mind) about the front porch. There's SOOO many pots out there, that are already heavy, at least 600 lbs of weight out there. And OMG I'm clumsy! I can drop a pot like nobody else, and soo often do. Usually right on top of another plant. Having a broken pot to clean up too would really burn my toast! Until somebody brings it up like this discussion, I don't even see the pots, just inspect them to make sure they're doing their job. Just wish clay pots had holes around the edge, not just the one central hole, but have had so few of them (and broken them so quickly) that I can't really talk much about them. Wish I'd put more thought into some of the selections I made this spring. Got a bunch of succulents, which are a new thing for me, and used black pots. So I think on the rare occasions they've had sun to bake in, the roots are getting too hot. Now this is fugly, but I used 2 aluminum baking pans as mixed nursery pots to propagate leaves, stick cuttings, and house some little ones small enough to blow away if left in tiny lone pots. Those have been great! I think the plants love the reflecting sun from the sides, and they don't get hot to the touch. Not for the front parlor, but for $.68, they make a fine shallow nursery container. The traditional pot shape is not suitable for all plants or purposes.
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Hi garden Gal This info may be too late to help you but may be helpful in the future. i grow hundreds of seedlings and they are all on wicks. As a matter of fact, all my plants in up to six inch pots ,never have to be watered because they are on wicks. I don't use newspaper. I set up trays or sweater boxes and fill them with water. Then over them I set those plastic diffusion grids that are used for light fixtures. they can be purchased at any home improvement store like Lowes. The seedlings are placed in pots with a six to eight inch length of yarn threaded through the holes. The thread has to be good and wet for the capillary action to work. you slip the wet yarn through the holes so they are hanging in the water. As long as you have water teh plants will drink it as needed. If there are only a few seedlings, you can use the plastic food containers and burn a hole in the top for the yarn. the soil mix has to be soiless lightened up with perlite. Loam, because it is so heavy, will cause the roots to rot. Whew!
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vera_eastern_wa
16 years ago
If you use grass clippings...just don't pile it up too much if it's still green! 2" is plenty (it wont get hot) and not to close to base of plants; anymore and it can actually repel water next time you water because it will mat and run off. If you water well, lay down the mulch (whatever mulch) it should be fine until you come home.

Vera
Brent_In_NoVA
16 years ago
I agree with Trudi's suggestion. I picked up a pretty cheap timer a few years ago (Home Depot I think) when I was seeding my lawn and it has come in pretty handy. I would use it more often except that without a doubt one of my kids will turn off the faucet or mess with the timer.

Reducing the maintenance of my seedlings is one of my next goals as well. As much as I would not mind staying home and tending to my plants all summer, my wife insists that we get out for a vacation or two with the kids! My general plan is to consolidate all my potted up seedlings into an area near my (very small) veggie garden so I can use one sprinkler on the timer to water both while I am away. I will also sink my pots into a bed of mulch to help retain moisture.

I have planted out a couple beds in the past few weeks. Once they are in the ground and covered with mulch (I use shredded wood) they can go for several days in hot weather without extra watering.

- Brent
bern_2007
16 years ago
I've read somewhere, that we can use a thick absorbant mat underneath our pots, and make a wide wick that will link the mat to a 5 gal pail of water, that is place just below the setup. either a bench a table , and this should be good to supply water for the plants for quit a while.

keeping beds/pots wet while away?

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trudi_d

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