JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – We all have our routines when it comes to traveling away from home for a few days. Maybe you stop the mail and newspaper delivery, have the neighbors keep an eye on your place and arrange to have your pets looked after. But what about your container plants?
Don’t let all of your hard work go to waste by having your plants wilt while they wait for you to return home. With these three DIY and partial DIY tips, you can enjoy your vacation without wondering if your basil will be baked or your tomatoes will end up sundried.
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The first tip is about planter planners. It works best if you take this step while preparing your container. Depending on the size of your planter, you can use a plastic water bottle, or a 1- or 2-liter bottle. If your container is big enough, you can also use a clean gallon jug.
With the bottle of your choice, poke a bunch of holes in the lower half of the bottle. Place the bottle just off-center of the container or next to the roots of your plants. Cover the bottle and roots with soil, leaving the spout or neck of the bottle above the soil line. The bottle can be left in the planter until needed. When needed, just fill the bottle with water, and the capillary action will draw it into the soil.
P.S. This is a great tip to use if you travel often or have a habit of forgetting to water your plants.
The second tip is for wine lovers. First things first, empty a wine bottle. How you accomplish that is up to you. Once it’s emptied, rinse and dry the bottle. When you’re getting ready for vacation, simply fill the wine bottle with water. In a rapid motion, tip the bottle upside down over the planter and shove the neck and part of the base into the soil. If needed, use small garden stakes to secure the bottle.
That’s it. The water will flow as needed and your plants will be lush when you return home.
Finally, the third tip is mostly do-it-yourself, but don’t throw away that wine bottle. Plant nanny stakes to help stabilize the wine bottle while allowing the water inside to hydrate your plants. You can find these stakes at your local big box store or through an online retailer, such as this one I found with a quick search on Amazon.
Doesn’t that sound like a great way to garden? Step 1: Open the wine. Step 2: Drink the wine. Step 3: Rinse the bottle. Step 4: Fill the bottle with water. Step 5: Enjoy your vacation while your plants sip some H20 until you get back home.