1 week holiday, what's the best to do for watering

L

Leonida

Well-Known Member
Hi Folks,

I have one plant almost 3 weeks old growing indoor under hydro mars, she is still pretty small, in two weeks (so when she will be 5 weeks) I will go on holiday for 8 days..

What is the best solution for watering? I head here and there but not yet sure about what to do...

1: nothing, just a lot of water before leave as 8 days are not too long time without water

2: bottle or globes in the soil to release water, I have watering globes but they are pretty small, I can use instead of them a bottle with lid and few holes for slow water release

3: I can put the plant (which is in a fabric air pot) in a small tray with water

4: solution 2+3

If noone of these methods would work, you can suggest me something to purchase (I still have two week to get it delivered) but not too expansive and consider that the plant is in the attic with limited access to electricity or water..

Will add more photos if u need!

Thanks in advance
 

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OVH

OVH

Well-Known Member
Ask your mom to water for you....

Seriously though just have a really close family member do it.

If not I’ve seen people do the globes and the plants make it a week. That ones small enough.
 
L

Leonida

Well-Known Member
I've noone here to ask to, I don't leave in my country! And not a lot of people know that I grow!

About the blumat seems really good but it looks like I can't get it here within 2 weeks (amazon.co.uk says...)

Any other idea? Just don't want to find her dead after all the effort spent to keep her alive
 
Kalebaiden

Kalebaiden

Well-Known Member
I can't go a day past my watering schedule or my plants get sad and droopy. Two days past and I have to sacrifice several goats to the weed gods and pray they come back.
 
L

Leonida

Well-Known Member
Kalebaiden said:
I can't go a day past my watering schedule or my plants get sad and droopy. Two days past and I have to sacrifice several goats to the weed gods and pray they come back.
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That's the exact reason i'm asking.. mine seems to resist till 4 days without water with no issues, but never tried to wait more than that obviously...
 
J

Jamk911

Active Member
My plants are 6 feet tall in 5 gallon buckets w holes all in em.. i legit only gotta water once a week.. and probably could go longer lol.. you should be fine..just make sure theyre very well watered before you leave.
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
Leonida said:
Hi Folks,

I have one plant almost 3 weeks old growing indoor under hydro mars, she is still pretty small, in two weeks (so when she will be 5 weeks) I will go on holiday for 8 days..

What is the best solution for watering? I head here and there but not yet sure about what to do...

1: nothing, just a lot of water before leave as 8 days are not too long time without water

2: bottle or globes in the soil to release water, I have watering globes but they are pretty small, I can use instead of them a bottle with lid and few holes for slow water release

3: I can put the plant (which is in a fabric air pot) in a small tray with water

4: solution 2+3

If noone of these methods would work, you can suggest me something to purchase (I still have two week to get it delivered) but not too expansive and consider that the plant is in the attic with limited access to electricity or water..

Will add more photos if u need!

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Soil or Coco?
 
WintersBones

WintersBones

Well-Known Member
Leonida said:
Hi Folks,

I have one plant almost 3 weeks old growing indoor under hydro mars, she is still pretty small, in two weeks (so when she will be 5 weeks) I will go on holiday for 8 days..

What is the best solution for watering? I head here and there but not yet sure about what to do...

1: nothing, just a lot of water before leave as 8 days are not too long time without water

2: bottle or globes in the soil to release water, I have watering globes but they are pretty small, I can use instead of them a bottle with lid and few holes for slow water release

3: I can put the plant (which is in a fabric air pot) in a small tray with water

4: solution 2+3

If noone of these methods would work, you can suggest me something to purchase (I still have two week to get it delivered) but not too expansive and consider that the plant is in the attic with limited access to electricity or water..

Will add more photos if u need!

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
What's your medium? I think options 2 and/or 3 should* get you through the week.
*no guarantees though and might be a bit over/underwatered by the time you get back, can't really say but it sounds like your medium doesn't retain moisture for long. But if you're in a pinch, then that's better than doing nothing or overwatering then leaving it to dry out through the week imo. Hope it's a photo, then you'll have time to nurse back to health. An auto might not recover.
I just bought the bluemat system myself, haven't set it up yet though, but if that's not an option there's some other fairly cheap auto watering systems out there but most need electricity that I can think of.
 
SpawnOfVader

SpawnOfVader

Well-Known Member
WintersBones said:
What's your medium? I think options 2 and/or 3 should* get you through the week.
*no guarantees though and might be a bit over/underwatered by the time you get back, can't really say but it sounds like your medium doesn't retain moisture for long. But if you're in a pinch, then that's better than doing nothing or overwatering then leaving it to dry out through the week imo. Hope it's a photo, then you'll have time to nurse back to health. An auto might not recover.
I just bought the bluemat system myself, haven't set it up yet though, but if that's not an option there's some other fairly cheap auto watering systems out there but most need electricity that I can think of.
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Agreed, if you can't do anything else that's something. Also mulch your plant with a good layer (I like cypress mulch cause it doesn't float/move). Make sure to not get it within 1/2-1 inch of stem to prevent damage. That will buy you an extra day or two.

I think a bottle watering system would be better than the little ornamental globes- should have much higher capacity?
 
SpawnOfVader

SpawnOfVader

Well-Known Member
How are you on DIY? What about a gravity fed drip system from a bucket like this?


No timer/"dumb" system. If you have power you can do plenty with drip irrigation on a timer with just a bucket/jug for a reservoir.
The automated drip I'm setting up right now is just a rubbermaid tote with an aquarium pump in it controlled by a wifi outlet (connected to Home Assistant).
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
I actually picked up this cheap system which seemed to work fine. Would not make it a permanent watering system but might be a cheap and easy fix for short term.
 
SpawnOfVader

SpawnOfVader

Well-Known Member
(note: that bucket system is basically "blumat" except it's DIY, you should be able to get the parts sooner, and it's way cheaper.)
 
Jimdamick

Jimdamick

Well-Known Member
Leonida said:
I've noone here to ask to, I don't leave in my country! And not a lot of people know that I grow!

About the blumat seems really good but it looks like I can't get it here within 2 weeks (amazon.co.uk says...)

Any other idea? Just don't want to find her dead after all the effort spent to keep her alive
Click to expand...
Do a test now.
Saturate your medium until runoff & see what it looks like in 8 days.
I think the plant being small, she should be fine.
By the way, that plant looks like it could use some N.
Have a safe vacation & post some pics :)
 
T macc

T macc

Well-Known Member
Some good ideas here. You could get a bucket, hose line, drippers, water pump and a timer. Someone referred to it as "dumb". I kind of agree. You'd never know if you're overwatering or under watering. It's cheap to make, and will be reliable while you're away. Can get everything at a hardware store and a fish store. The super store near you will probably have everything for convenience.

Also, get a blumat later.
 
SpawnOfVader

SpawnOfVader

Well-Known Member
T macc said:
Some good ideas here. You could get a bucket, hose line, drippers, water pump and a timer. Someone referred to it as "dumb". I kind of agree. You'd never know if you're overwatering or under watering. It's cheap to make, and will be reliable while you're away. Can get everything at a hardware store and a fish store. The super store near you will probably have everything for convenience.

Also, get a blumat later.
Click to expand...
Yea I refer to those systems as “dumb” but that’s to differentiate from what I’m working now which will be a true “smart” system.

drip irrigation with a pump connected to my custom home assistant build... soon to have soil moisture sensors as the trigger
 
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