leaving on vacation for 5 days, how to water seedlings
smsnge
11 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (15)
robeb
11 years agobarrie2m_(6a, central PA)
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Seedling care while on vacation
Comments (4)Alison - Actually I do have a hot tub. And as a matter of fact, it is due for its spring cleaning - empty, scrub the tub and cover, soak the filter, etc, refill. If you want to do that as well you're hired! :) I was thinking of taking out the peat pots, filling up the tray with gravel and then water just to the top of the gravel bed. Then putting the peat pots down on the gravel and fill up in between the pots with more gravel. That way they can grab water up from under the gravel and by having them surrounded by gravel they hopefully won't dry out as quickly. Doing something similar with a gravel tray and putting the styrofoam cups on top of the gavel and water....See MoreDon't understand how watering timers work.Can I water every 5 minutes?
Comments (17)hex2006- Just 4 times a day? Is that the practice? I've heard about switching on/off every 15/30 mins and that sounded somewhat less than optimal to me... If you flood the roots for 15 mins, wouldn't that be too much for many plants? Conversely, leaving it to dry for 6 hours, isn't that detrimental or at least stressful for many varieties (and even if there is enough moisture, does the plants have enough access to nutrients)? Jeremiah- Yeah, the power consumption was high on my priorities when I considered hydroponics. It's not like I'm gonna sell the produce but I am in a dire lack of excess money to burn- that's why the pump power consumption actually did seemed important to me (unless I'm growing weed then that is a whole different matter). I calculated that if a simple 10W pump ran for 24/7, 365 days, it would amount to 87.6KW. I pay 20c for KW/h, so a yearly cost would be around 17.52$. The price of tomatoes at my local market is a little more than 1$ per kg. That means that simply to cover the usage cost of this one pump I need to grow more than 15kg. You can see why I'm not a fan of letting the pump work more than it needs to. Lol, I missed your meaning, when you said "making the box water tight " ,did you mean the timer box or the grow box? because in both cases I just use a discarded bucket/cereal box with some water proof glue on the lid. Ghetto to the max! And when you say “digital plug timers” you are referring to this type of thing?: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-LCD-Display-24H-7day-Programmable-Timer-Electronic-Plug-Switch-110V-US-/361252796244 If so, then like the with my opening post, they have up to x powerons per day. Very annoying. , , , The second scenario you described is actually pretty nifty, but I fail to see the advantage if indeed rapid switching will burn out the pump. My case however is the common first scenario (mostly because of space constrictions (the sun is at the top)). I don't know if it is that 'rapid', but if the pump fills the bucket in 4 minutes (and turned off due to power conservation) and the drying occurs for another 11 mins- then we are talking about 90 cycles per day (I have no idea if that is a good growing practice, but speaking hypothetically). I took your warnings about the quick burnout to heart, but I'm not sure what's the alternative in an ebb-flow system (other than cycling it to 2 operations per hour). One thing I thought of changing is the placement of the pump. according to Kleeems explanation ,a partial cause for the failing is the column of water already present in the pipes, overloading at each start up. Seems like it can be solved by placing the pump in an upside fashion near the top... thanks guys....See MoreLeaving my seedlings without care for 9 days
Comments (13)Hi Conny. I had the same dilemma a few years ago....before you joined the forum. My solution....take them on holiday with me! Admittedly it was to my daughters for several days and I only had a small tray of about ten seedlings! Knowing how many plants you have these days, I'm struggling to visualise you and d/h doing this, but it did make me chuckle:-))) I hope they will be ok for you. Gill...See MoreHow do you keep your planters watered when on vacation
Comments (12)We don't go away in the summer for more than four days at a time - we also shut off the water and don't ask anyone to take care of our garden. I water the pots well and cover the soil surface with chopped leaves I've saved from Autumn. I'm sure other choices of mulch would work too. I also bunch the smaller pots together so they aren't as exposed....See Moredigdirt2
11 years agoryseryse_2004
11 years agotammyinwv
11 years agoryseryse_2004
11 years agoMaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
11 years agodigdirt2
11 years agotammyinwv
11 years agoannie1957
11 years agoloretta5_gw
11 years agotdscpa
11 years agoekling211
11 years agoekling211
11 years ago
Related Stories
FALL GARDENING5 Ways to Put Fall Leaves to Work in Your Garden
Improve your soil and yard the organic way with a valuable garden booster that grows on trees
Full StoryLAUNDRY ROOMSRoom of the Day: The Laundry Room No One Wants to Leave
The Hardworking Home: Ocean views, vaulted ceilings and extensive counter and storage space make this hub a joy to work in
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESSeeds or Seedlings? How to Get Your Garden Started
Growing delicious herbs and vegetables starts with knowing your goals and when you want to plant
Full StoryPATIOSRoom of the Day: Vacationing at Home in Louisiana
With a fireplace, kitchen, dining area and living room–style seating, this New Orleans patio brings the indoors out
Full StoryOUTBUILDINGS15 Backyard Escapes Worth Taking a Vacation Day For
These guesthouses, studios, sheds and greenhouses show that sometimes the best getaway is right outside your back door
Full StoryROOM OF THE DAYRoom of the Day: A Laundry So Cheery, Wash Day Is Wonderful
Pretty paint and playful touches banish chore-day blahs in a laundry room designed for a magazine’s Idea House
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: A Modern-Day Homestead Brings a Family Together
Their 5-acre Washington property, with sports court, swings, pizza oven and gardens, is a labor of love and communal playspace
Full StoryDECLUTTERINGDownsizing Help: Choosing What Furniture to Leave Behind
What to take, what to buy, how to make your favorite furniture fit ... get some answers from a homeowner who scaled way down
Full StoryGREEN BUILDINGStudents’ Award-Winning Home Leaves Small Footprint
A cost-effective, solar-powered New Zealand prefab home has good looks to match
Full StoryLIFEThe Top 5 Ways to Save Water at Home
Get on the fast track to preserving a valuable resource and saving money too with these smart, effective strategies
Full Story
MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ