There is such a thing as plant turgor. Turgor is the fullness of plant cells with water. If the plant does not have enough water, the leaves and branches droop, become lethargic, then they talk about the loss of turgor. If the plant was not dehydrated for a long time, then it is enough to thoroughly soak the soil with water so that the turgor is restored. But if the roots are very dry, watering will no longer help, the plants will die.
Probably everyone had to leave the house for a while, leaving flowers and even animals. During our absence, we worry about our pets - how are they without supervision. Everyone is looking for their own way out of the situation, depending on the timing of the business trip or vacation. Someone will leave the keys to the apartment to a neighbor or relatives with an order to water on time, but many do not have such an opportunity or simply do not trust an inexperienced person in such a delicate matter.
You need to prepare for your vacation in advance, while you are choosing a swimsuit for yourself or just looking at the colorful illustrations of travel agencies, you should not only take an interest in ways to automatically water plants, but also try them in practice, spending at least two days in advance.
After all, improperly organized automatic watering can lead to disastrous results when the plants turn out to be dried out or, on the contrary, flooded. If you leave the care of plants to a neighbor or friend, at least take care of the exact instructions in this regard. Any person may have concepts of measure different from yours, and if for you abundant watering means a glass of water per pot, then someone may mean 2-3 glasses of water by abundant watering.
The frequency of watering, as you know, depends on the type of plant, air temperature and season. Therefore, it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer as far as it is possible to leave a plant without water without referring to its physiological state. Since cacti and some succulents are in a state of growth in summer and will painlessly endure the lack of watering for about 2 weeks. In winter, during the dormant period, this period can be up to 1 month.
Plants with leathery leaves, such as ficus or scindapsus, will survive without water for about a week in summer, 10-14 days in winter. But plants with thin and velvety leaves, such as Calathea red-bearded Calathea rufibarba, survive without water in the summer for 4-5 days, depending on the temperature, and in winter for about 7-10 days. Bulbous and tuberous plants during the growth period will survive without watering for about a week.
More and more ways of automatic watering are being invented, in a large flower shop you can even buy special devices and entire systems for providing plants with water. Many lovers indoor plants, who have to leave the house quite often for several days, solve the problem radically - they switch to growing on hydroponics, which greatly simplifies the task (but does not deprive them of care problems in general).
Automatic watering of indoor plants
If we talk about plants planted in the soil, there are several ways to provide plants with water:
Feodor: The system - "Smart Pot", appeared quite recently, but I already have a lot of plants growing in them. Its great advantage is the ease of planting and care. I add water 1 time 3-4 weeks and the plants feel great. Fertilizers are added along with irrigation water.
Method one - Plants are watered abundantly, so that the earthen lump is completely saturated with water. If the pots are clay, then it is advisable to wrap each pot with moss, which is also thoroughly moistened. You can also place a clay pot in a plastic one, bigger size, and fill the space between the walls of the pot with moistened expanded clay. In plastic pots, the soil is covered from above with wet moss or expanded clay. Watered plants are placed on pallets or in wide basins with water, without saucers, so that the lower part of the pot is in the water. Plants that categorically do not tolerate when "feet in the water" are left on saucers, and the water that has drained after watering is drained. This method is effective if the plants are left for 7-10 days and if there are many plants.
Method two - Useful if there are not many plants, and also if the plants are very sensitive to excessive moisture (both soil and air). The plant is watered so that the earth ball is saturated with water. A plastic bottle with water and a thin knitting needle (or vice versa with a thick needle, you can also use an awl) heated over a fire is taken, a hole is made in the cork, then the same hole must be made at the bottom of the bottle. The bottle is dug into the pot with the neck down to a depth of 2-3 cm. Water, flowing out drop by drop, moistens the soil. There is very important point- you need to practice on the bottles in advance in the size of the holes. After all, it may turn out that the water will flow out too slowly, or vice versa too quickly. It is best to try this method some time before departure on a pot without a plant filled with dry earth.
Watching for several days how the soil is filled with moisture, you will determine for yourself whether such a hole in the bottle is suitable or you will have to change it. When you are able to optimally "tune the bottle" - then the problem of watering during your absence will be solved once and for all. The duration of such watering depends on the size of the bottle.
Third method - A wick is twisted from a bandage or strip of fabric, one end of which is placed on the surface of the earth in a pot, and the other is lowered into a container in water, which should be located above the pot. Here you should provide for the number of wicks for a certain size of the pot. So for a pot with a diameter of 10 cm, one wick is enough, and for a pot with a diameter of 25-30 cm, 3-4 wicks are needed for an adequate supply of water. This method is effective if the plants are left for 7-10 days.
Method four- If your plants are grown in pots with good drainage holes in the bottoms, then this method will work for you. An oilcloth is spread on the table (so as not to spoil the furniture), on it is a wide strip of any dense woolen fabric (cloth, felt, an old children's blanket, batting folded in several layers, etc.), previously soaked in water. Pots with already watered plants are placed on the fabric (of course, without saucers). The end of the cloth should hang down from the table and fall into a large container of water, set slightly below the level of the table with the plants. The fabric is kept moist all the time and the plants receive water through the drainage holes in the pot. This method is effective if the plants are left for 10-20 days.
Method five - If you are leaving not for 7-10 days, but for 3-4 weeks, and more than once a year, then it would be advisable to purchase an automatic watering system. Now they are sold in any major city and represent a container with water, a set of thin tubes and program control, providing the inclusion of water supply at certain intervals, for example 2 times a day.
Hooray! Finally the long awaited vacation. All thoughts are occupied with the upcoming trip. Just don't forget to take anything with you. And at some point it dawns on you “How to leave indoor flowers without watering for two weeks?”.
How many indoor flowers can be without watering.
There are no options with relatives and friends who find time to come and water home plants. It is not always possible to use the help of loved ones. Therefore, we are looking for other solutions on how to save indoor flowers when going on vacation.
Some types of indoor plants need daily soil moisture, and some flowers are able to endure a two-week drought.
- plants such as cyperus, calamus, azalea require a large amount of water.
- the soil should be constantly moist (but without stagnant water in the soil) for begonias, alocasia, calathea, lemon, oleander, ivy.
- ornamental houseplants need to be watered when the top layer of soil in the pot dries a couple of centimeters. Dracaena, clivia, monstera, palm trees, syngonium, columna, aspidistra, aglaonema, it is important that the soil dries out between waterings.
- but before the next watering, the soil should dry completely at hippeastrum, gloxinia, zygocactus, crinium, caladium, philodendron. Cacti do not need moisture at all during the winter season.
Knowing how much moisture and how often your plants need it will give you an idea of how long you can leave potted plants without watering. And if the question is in your absence for up to five days, then after watering the houseplants, you can safely leave and not worry about how to leave indoor flowers without watering.
Read Wikipedia about indoor flowers and their care.
How to save indoor flowers without watering.
If you leave home for two weeks, then we do not recommend leaving indoor flowers without moisture. Otherwise, upon arrival, you will have to re-buy your favorite plants.
There are two ways to protect indoor flowers during the holidays. One of them involves spending family budget and the other with minimal cost.
To risk leaving indoor flowers for a long time without watering, without any financial investment, you can do this:
- indoor plants need to be prepared for your absence. Leaving home is a joy for you, but stress for flowers.
- we carry out pruning of buds and blooming flowers. So we will help the plant not to waste its strength for flowering during the "separation" from you. Now they will direct all their forces to maintain their vital functions. Plus, you still won’t see the flowering itself.
- for this period, we reduce the moisture consumption of the plant by thinning the leaf mass. You will have to make a sacrifice, because indoor plants will lose their decorative effect. Some of them will take a long time to recover, but it's worth it.
indoor flowers in ceramic pots need more water than in plastic pots.
- we rearrange the pots with houseplants from the window sills to the floor. Preferably in the far corner of the room. This is necessary so that the plant receives less light and heat. Reducing the amount of light and heat leads to a decrease in the amount of moisture evaporated by flowers. And, as a result, the plant consumes it minimally. Upon your return, be mentally prepared for the fact that you will not recognize your home oasis. Without proper heat and lighting, indoor flowers will slow down their growth.
- We put pots with indoor plants close to each other. Thus, a mini-greenhouse is created, which will keep the humidity around and in the middle of it a little higher. The only thing I want to warn you about is that if you place indoor flowers in this way, you increase the risk of disease of all plants in the presence of an already sick one. After all, it is not always possible to immediately determine the presence of diseases or pests on any one flower. And then the affected flower will “reward” all other houseplants with the disease.
You can ensure the actual watering of indoor flowers on vacation as follows:
- put all home plants in a large bowl (basin, baby bath, pallet). Cover the bottom of such an impromptu pallet with a thick layer (at least five centimeters) of expanded clay. Fill the expanded clay up to half with water. And put flower pots on a wet layer. Fill the gaps between pots with expanded clay or cover with wet sphagnum moss.
sphagnum moss is a good accumulator of moisture. As needed, the plant takes moisture from the moss.
- to perfect the source of moisture for your indoor plants, we create a greenhouse. We cover all the flowers standing in the pallet with transparent plastic wrap. If there is no large piece of film, then you can create individual moisture keepers by putting on plastic bags for each plant. Make an exception only for plants with fleshy or pubescent leaves. Such as Saintpaulia, Pelargonium, Kalanchoe. Otherwise, they will rot or become moldy without regular ventilation.
if you are worried about the effectiveness of any method of watering indoor flowers during the holidays, then prepare cuttings of your favorite plants. Until you return, they will sprout roots in a jar of water.
We immediately warn you that after you return from vacation, you will need to remove the packages from the flowers gradually. Accustoming a houseplant to low air humidity and constant ventilation in open form, should be done within a week, then removing, then putting back the mini "cap".
if you can't find a potted plant tray, place plant pots in the tub.
- You can ensure a constant supply of moisture with the help of plastic bottles. To do this, we make small holes in the lids. Then we pour water into the bottles and place them upside down either on the tray between the pots of indoor plants, or directly into the pot itself. Leaking drop by drop, the water will moisten expanded clay, moss, or soil.
moisture through the holes in the cap of a plastic bottle immediately into the ground is good for large indoor flowers in tubs. For small plants, the bottle watering method is not suitable.
- many of you have heard about the following method. It consists in passive watering with improvised wicks. We twist the bundles of ropes, laces, woolen threads, bandages or cotton fabric. We lower one end of such a wick into a container of water, and stick the other into the ground. The water tank must be above the level flower pot. Due to the difference in capillary pressure, water will begin to flow to the plants.
for orchids during your vacation, an acceptable method of moistening is that the plant feeds on moisture from the bottom. A pot with an orchid is placed in a container, on the bottom of which you pour a little water and pour drainage.
Irrigation systems for indoor plants.
Watering indoor flowers during departure can be entrusted to industrial production devices. Such systems will cost money. But the acquisition of such technologies will pay off at least by the fact that upon returning from vacation, you do not have to re-buy new indoor plants.
- autonomous watering systems for indoor flowers are called Aqua Globes. The simplest ones are a glass flask that is connected to a ceramic cone. The cone sinks into the soil to ensure uniform wetting of the earthen coma. The capillary-porous structure of the walls of the cone allows water to seep into the ground drop by drop.
before installing for indoor flowers, both homemade and industrial systems humidification, test the speed and volume of water supply. And then adjust the necessary "pressure". This is necessary in order not to flood the plants and prevent the soil from drying out.
- The Austrian Blumat system is distinguished by the fact that the lower part of the conical cone is made of special clay, which is able to react to soil moisture and independently maintain the necessary moisture in the ground. A thin hose is also connected to the cone, the other end descending into a container of water. As soon as the soil in a pot with a houseplant dries out, the system will begin to supply water drop by drop. The amount of water is regulated by the level at which the water container is located.
- for passive irrigation there are capillary mats on sale. Such hygroscopic mats are sold in garden centers and large supermarkets in the departments of houseplant care. The operation is very simple. Laying a pallet or even kitchen table with plastic wrap, place a capillary mat on top and place pots of indoor flowers on it. Dip one of the edges of the absorbent mat into a container of water. Water will saturate the mat, and houseplants can easily absorb moisture into the soil through the bottom of the pot.
by cutting the capillary mat into strips, you can use it as harnesses for passive irrigation.
Having picked up any of these ways of watering indoor flowers during your vacation, you will not leave your home oasis without life-giving moisture. And upon your return, the flowers will thank you with lush growth and flowering. Because they will miss you just as much as you do.
Video about do-it-yourself automatic watering methods
How to leave indoor flowers without watering during the holidays
Well, that's what happened! The long awaited vacation has arrived. For pleasant fees, suddenly, you realize that during your absence indoor flowers will remain without watering.
The question arises: what to do in order to save flowers from drought? There is a solution! Here are a few tricks to keep flowers without watering from two weeks to a month.
Basic steps to create conditions for flowers that will remain without watering for a long time
1. First of all, sort the flowers according to the moisture consumption. Those that can remain without water for a long time (, etc.) and those that require frequent and regular watering.
2. Give the flowers a refreshing shower and water them.
3. Remove flowers from sunny windows and radiators (in winter period). Place the flowers in the middle of the room, where the heat from the batteries and the sun won't reach them.
4. Create temporarily gentle conditions for indoor plants in the room. Shade windows with sunny side. Windows can be curtained or closed with blinds. In a shaded room, plants absorb less moisture.
5. Arrange water containers to increase air humidity. Place containers near plant pots.
6. If possible, leave the vents or windows ajar to ventilate the air in the room. This condition is not always possible, especially in winter.
These are the basic steps to take when leaving flowers alone at home.
Those flowers that often do not need to be watered, just leave them in the room, and those that cannot do without water need to create temporary conditions of detention.
Ways to water houseplants while on vacation
For watering indoor plants in any of the ways, use settled water at room temperature.
Watering method number 1. The easiest way is to pour water into the pan, lay gauze in several layers on the bottom and put flower pots in it. The pallet can be wrapped with polyethylene so that the moisture does not evaporate and remains longer. In this way the flowers will last 1-2 weeks.
Watering method number 2. The next method is also quite simple. Lay a cloth on the bottom of the bath, fill the bath with water up to 5 cm deep and place pots with plants in the bath. Do not close the bathroom door. With this method, indoor plants can stand without watering for 2-3 weeks. The only negative is that the plants will not have enough light, or rather, it will be almost completely absent. Another thing, if your bathroom has a window, then this option will be just perfect for you. But there is also a downside to this method. The walls of the bathroom are cold, so hypothermia of the root system and its decay are possible.
Watering method number 3. Another way is to put flower pots in the tub. Take water to the brim flower pots so that the top edge of the pot is completely under water. Leave the flowers to absorb moisture for 40 minutes. Then take the flower pots out of the tub, wrap the pots in plastic or place them in plastic bags. Wrap the ends and secure with tape or paper clips at the base of the flower. Thus, the moisture will last longer. Take the plants to a bright place, but not on sunny windowsills and not near radiators.
Watering method number 4. For this method, expanded clay and a suitable container (tray or basin) will be needed. Pour expanded clay into the container with a layer of 3-4 cm. Pour water into the container with expanded clay so that the liquid rises several centimeters above the expanded clay. Put potted plants in a container on expanded clay.
Watering with expanded clay Watering method number 5. This option will involve flower pots and plastic bottles. Pour water into the bottle and screw on the cap. Poke a hole in the lid with a needle. To easily make a hole, the needle needs to be heated. Place the bottle upside down in the soil. That's all! The water will gradually enter the soil and the flower will not dry out. Choose the size of the bottle according to the size of the pot and the plants in it, the larger the pot, the larger the bottle.
Watering with a bottle Watering method number 6. Here is another simple watering method. You will need a sponge and cardboard. The sponge should be abundantly soaked with water and put on the soil in a pot, covering the surface of the pot with a circle of cardboard. To do this, cut a circle out of cardboard with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the pot. Cut a hole in the center of the circle equal to the diameter of the plant stem. Make a cut in a circle in order to conveniently place it on the surface of the pot. The sponge will give moisture to the plant through the soil, and the cardboard circle will not allow it to evaporate.
Watering method number 7. The next, the so-called wick method. Here you will need a stool, a basin or pan and gauze bandages. We put a container filled with water on a stool. We cut the bandages long enough so that one end is lowered into a container of water, and the other reaches the soil in a pot with a flower. The bandages are well wetted with water, one end is lowered into the water, and the other is dug into the soil. This method will help the flowers not to dry out for a month or more. This method is very efficient. Firstly, you can easily water a large number of plants. Second, avoid root rot and mold on the soil. And thirdly, the flower will take exactly as much moisture as it needs.
Wick watering method Watering method number 8. Another very simple and convenient way. We lay an oilcloth on a table or other flat, convenient surface for you, put a wet terry towel or other similar fabric that absorbs moisture well on the oilcloth. We put pots with plants on a towel, pallets or saucers from under the pots must be removed. Dip the edge of the towel into a container filled with water. That's all! Everything is very simple! In this way you will water a large number of plants. And if you cover the container with water with polyethylene, then there will be enough moisture for a month or more.
Watering with a towel Watering method number 9. The next method of watering with hydrogel. What is a hydrogel and how it works can be found in the article:. The hydrogel will need to be saturated with water and placed on the soil surface in flower pot. This method is also very simple and safe for plants.
Watering method number 10. This method is also very simple, but for its use you need to purchase a special automatic watering system for plants.
Automatic watering for indoor flowers Flowers during the holidays had time to povit
You are back from vacation, and your green pets are still limp! Do not despair, they can be quickly reanimated. To do this, first water the flower. Then a wooden block is placed at the bottom in a large basin or other container. A pot with a flower is placed on the bar. Hot water is poured into the basin, but not boiling water. The water level is brought to 3-4 cm below the upper edge of the wooden block. From hot water steam will go. With the help of this steam, the flower will come to its senses, saturated with life-giving moisture. The resuscitation time will be 30 minutes, then put the flower in its usual place.
Here, perhaps, are all the main ways of watering indoor plants during their "loneliness". Having mastered any of the watering methods you like, you can safely and without worries about green pets leave your house for a while and relax.
Have a nice vacation!
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Watering flowers during the holidays has certain features, thanks to which you can protect the plants from drying out. How to water flowers during the holidays? This question is asked by more than one grower who wants to keep indoor flowers while on vacation.
The organization of watering flowers when you leave is familiar to many lovers of floriculture. It's great if relatives or neighbors agree to take care of the flowers. But how to organize watering if there is no person who takes such responsibility? This needs to be dealt with in more detail.
Training
Indoor flowers require year-round watering. And it is equally important to provide them with watering during the holidays. An important step to provide plantings enough liquid, is the process of preparing for the temporary absence of a standard irrigation procedure.
Preparatory work significantly increases the resistance of home flowers to a temporary lack of moisture. Certain varieties of flowers can do without moisture from a week to two. But if the rest is planned for longer, it is recommended to install a special device for watering.
The last feeding is carried out no later than two weeks before the expected date of departure. After the procedure, flowers require a large amount of moisture in order to absorb micro and macro elements as much as possible after feeding.
A few days before the holiday, it is necessary to remove all the buds and blossoming inflorescences on the plants, as well as the deciduous mass, as far as possible. The more leaves left on a flower, the more it evaporates moisture and needs to be watered.
When pruning, it is necessary to exclude the presence of pests or diseases. To do this, a thorough inspection is carried out and treated, if necessary, with insecticides or fungicides. This procedure is carried out no later than a week before the holiday.
Thus, moisture evaporation can be significantly reduced. Containers with flowers are recommended to be placed as close as possible next to each other, this ensures increased humidity in the room.
Before leaving, you need to water. The amount of water is slightly more than with standard irrigation. Due to this, the soil substrate will absorb a large amount of moisture.
For some plants, irrigation by immersion in water is suitable. After the moisturizing procedure, it would be nice to put pieces of wet moss around the pot with a flower bush.
How to carry out the moisturizing procedure
Containers with watered flowers should be placed in a bathroom or a large basin, the bottom of which is covered with expanded clay (pre-moistened). In addition, pour a few centimeters of water into the bathroom. Remove pallets. Pots should be placed on expanded clay, not in water.
This method is well suited for moisture-loving plantations that are planted in a clay or expanded clay container. But this method also has a significant drawback - if there is a disease in one flower, there is a high probability of damage to other flowers as well.
Creation of an automatic irrigation system
The irrigation system is sold at a specialized point of sale. The set includes a container, a thin dropper, a control regulator, its task is to supply moisture from the container after a certain period.
They set the frequency and amount of irrigation, after which you can not be afraid of drought. But still, before leaving, it is worth trying it out in advance. this method, improve it if necessary:
- Pour water into a large container.
- Bring the tubes to the plants, fix them.
- Set the frequency and volume of fluid to be dispensed.
Folk ways
If it is not possible to install automatic drip irrigation, you can try some grandmother's remedies. Water the flowers generously. The soil substrate must be completely saturated. Next, place the container in a bowl or basin, on the bottom of which pour a small amount of water.
Pour small pebbles or coarse sand, deepen the flower pot a little. The option is suitable for those plantations that will not suffer from an excess of fluid (for example, chlorophytum, geranium). When the owner has left, the duration of humidification will be at least one week.
An ordinary plastic bottle can become an assistant in moisturizing before flower growers leaving on vacation.
You can create homemade drip irrigation like this:
- Fill plantings with liquid.
- AT plastic bottle make two holes with a knitting needle or an awl. One is in a traffic jam, the second is at the bottom.
- Fill the container with liquid, fix it with the bottom up above the plant.
- So the liquid will smoothly moisten the soil substrate.
This option is more suitable for green spaces with large deciduous mass. Before leaving, it is recommended to practice with such watering, choose the most suitable bottle for each plant, see the amount of liquid that will drip throughout the day.
You may need less or larger hole. With the right bottle, you can provide the most appropriate moisture for each flower.
Application of the wick system
This option irrigation is suitable for some flowers. It consists in placing containers with plantings on a reservoir with moisture. Lower one end of a fabric or synthetic lace into the soil mixture under the flower. And lower the other end into the bucket, passing it through the drainage hole.
The lace will absorb moisture as much as possible, giving it to the soil mixture. This irrigation option will be optimal for medium-sized plantations. Before installing this system, it is necessary to transplant the flower into a pot with a wick at the bottom.
You can also twist the fabric strips, lay one end on the surface of the soil substrate, lower the other into a bucket, basin or large bowl of water placed next to it. Stripes from many plants can be dipped into one bowl. It is better to put the flowers on the floor, and a bucket or bowl on a chair, so the homemade wicks will not dry out.
This irrigation option is optimal if the duration of departure does not exceed two weeks. You can also additionally pour sand or peat into the pan, fill it well with water.
The wick method also has one big disadvantage. If the weather is too hot, there is a chance that the wick will dry out. In this case, moisture will not flow to the flowers.
You can not make the wick yourself, but purchase a ready-made wick humidification system. The kit includes a water tank, a wick, a ceramic rod that needs to be immersed in the substrate.
Application of polymer hydrogel
The hydrogel has the ability to absorb moisture in large doses, and then gradually saturate the plants with it. Such a tool can be purchased at any specialized point of sale.
Sold polymer hydrogel in the form of granules. It is usually soft, has no pronounced color, and is capable of quickly absorbing liquid. When planting, it is added directly to the soil substrate.
With this planting option, the soil substrate mixed with the hydrogel does not need frequent moistening. You can simply fill the soil well with water and not worry about a week and a half that the flowers can dry out.
In addition, the hydrogel provides uniform moisture impregnation of the soil, this eliminates stagnation, the appearance of rot and various diseases due to high humidity.
The disadvantage of this method is only the need to transplant flowers into the soil with hydrogel. Some flower growers use a decorative polymer hydrogel. These are colored balls that are soaked overnight in water. After swelling, they are lowered into pots on the surface of the soil.
Top with a small layer of moss. The swollen granules will gradually, as the soil dries, release moisture. This option is suitable for those plantings in which root system located in top layer soil mixtures. Otherwise, it is recommended to mix the granules with earth mass.
Making a drip system yourself
You can also try to make automatic drip irrigation yourself. Create it using simple and available funds– medical systems for droppers. Such a device can be purchased at the pharmacy network. It has a ready-made built-in regulator, thanks to which you can independently set the frequency of humidification.
As with wick irrigation, you will need a large basin or other reservoir. A large bowl or bucket should be placed on the table or on another hill, flowers should be placed on the floor.
One end of the dropper is lowered into a large container, the other into the soil of the flower. Next, you need to set the humidification frequency. Pre-check how this system works before departure.
At right approach before watering, you don’t have to worry about houseplants during the holidays.
The most common indoor flowers for the kitchen
During a long absence of the owners due to a business trip or vacation, the plants suffer from a lack of water. However, you can save flowers without watering if you take care of them before the trip.
Which flowers are more drought tolerant?
Various factors affect the survival of pets without moisture.
- Type of plant.
Flowers in a home collection can vary greatly in origin, appearance and features of development. Most indoor plants can be safely left for a week without watering, after moisturizing well. A longer lack of irrigation can adversely affect the health of pets.
herbaceous plants in winter time watered on average once a week, and during the period of active growth or flowering - once every 3-4 days. Approximately the same irrigation regime for orchids. Agave, hoya, sansevieria, yucca and aspidistra are not so demanding on watering - they are content with moisturizing once every two weeks. Popular asparagus and chlorophytum tolerate drought well when low temperatures due to the presence of a supply of water in the bulbs. Cacti and succulents are left without watering for a month if they are in a dormant period, and the temperature environment- from 5 to 10 degrees of heat. For many representatives of this species, such content is the norm.
"Water plants" can hardly tolerate a long absence of watering. These include, for example, azalea, streptocarpus, primrose, calathea, cyclamen and episcia. It is better to transfer them to someone for care during a long absence. If trips from home are frequent and long, you should choose less moisture-loving plants for growing. Flowers with hard leaves and a thick trunk will easily endure an anhydrous period of up to 2 weeks.
- Temperature and humidity.
In a warmer room with low humidity, indoor pets will begin to suffer from a lack of moisture much earlier. If a long trip takes place in winter, it is appropriate to reduce the temperature of the batteries central heating. Additional water containers in the room will help increase the humidity.
How to help plants survive the time without watering?
If a long absence of the owners is planned in order to save indoor flowers, you should pay attention to such simple tips.
- It is better to keep pets away from windows. On the windowsill in summer without water, they will suffer from the sun, in winter - from radiators. If the curtains are thick enough, you can simply draw them in the warm season. Plants located on the south, southeast or southwest window should be rearranged. In the off-season, it is appropriate to turn off the heating or remove the flowers away from the heat source.
- Remove inflorescences and buds a few days before departure. There will be no one to admire the beauty, and flower brushes take away a lot of precious moisture from the plant.
- Tightly cover with a transparent jar small flowers that love high humidity and dry out quickly. For large plants, large plastic bags can be used. Secure the ends with an elastic band so that there are no large gaps. In this case, the moisture will not evaporate quickly.
- Be sure to water the day before or on the day of departure. The flower is not irrigated from above, but bottom watering is used. The plant is placed in a container with water for 10-15 minutes. When the soil is well saturated with water, the flower is taken out and the excess liquid is allowed to drain. Plants watered in this way retain moisture longer.
- Close windows and doors. Put water containers near the flowers. This will help to avoid drafts and keep moisture near them.
- Do not feed flowers 2-3 weeks before departure. It is completely inappropriate to activate life processes at this time.
- Remove damaged and dry leaves. Check for pests or signs of disease. If necessary, treat the flowers with the necessary preparation, because a plant weakened without water becomes more vulnerable. It is better to do this 1-2 weeks before the trip.
- Lay a layer of expanded clay or gravel on the bottom of a large container. Inside place small pots with moisture-loving plants(they are pre-watered). Pour water onto expanded clay or gravel so that it does not touch the bottom of flowerpots with pets. high humidity will help plants to survive the time without watering more easily.
If you often have to leave your favorite indoor flowers unattended, it is better to plant them in clay pots. Such a container retains moisture better than plastic.
Methods of "remote" humidification
- Moisturize with a wet cloth.
On a table placed far from the window, put a thick oilcloth to protect the surface from moisture. Place a piece of wet thick fabric on top, such as an old baby blanket or flannel diaper. Place a container of water nearby. Lower the ends of the matter into a vessel with liquid. Place flowerpots with well-watered flowers on a wet cloth (use pots without stands and with drainage holes). Water from the container will gradually get to the roots through the bottom of the flowerpots and water your green pets. You can put plants in the bathroom if there is enough light - then the film is not used. When using this method, you can leave the flowers without irrigation for 2-3 weeks. Watering flowers during the holidays with a wet cloth is well suited for medium-sized moisture-loving plants.
- Drip irrigation with a regular plastic bottle.
Make a thin hole in the cork with an awl, fill the container with water. Screw the bottle and insert it upside down into the flower pot, pressing it into the ground by 2-3 cm. Water from a small hole will drop into the flowerpot and water the plant. On the other side (in the bottom), you also need to make a hole so that air enters the container instead of the leaked liquid. It is advisable to prepare in advance several bottles with holes of different diameters and empirically determine which hole size will be optimal. This is a great opportunity to water the flowers when you go on vacation, you just need to correctly calculate the water rate so as not to overmoisten the plant. The disadvantage is that each flower will need its own "watering can" - you need to stock up on bottles. The method is well suited for large instances.
- Wick irrigation.
Flower pots are placed on the floor. Pour water into a large plastic container and place it next to the plants. Dishes with liquid should be above the flowers - for example, on a table or chair. Cuts are made from fabric or bandage, you can use special synthetic wicks, which are sold in flower shops. One end of the fabric is placed in a container of water, and the other is fixed on the surface of the soil in a flower pot. The wicks are gradually fed with water from the dishes and supply moisture to the plants. For large and moisture-loving flowers, use more cuts. On average, one wick is used for one flowerpot with a diameter of about 10 cm, with a pot diameter of 30 cm, 4 such pieces of fabric may be needed. This method of watering will keep the flowers up to two weeks. 
Such a system automatically waters the flowers at regular intervals. It is better to buy it in advance to check the efficiency of the installation. First, there is a risk of receiving a low-quality product. Secondly, it is necessary to adjust the watering taking into account the requirements of pets.
Automatic watering pots are also on sale. They are not cheap and are not suitable for all flowers, but they can be an alternative for those who are willing to spend extra money for the comfort of their plant.
So, during a long absence of the owners, indoor flowers can live quite comfortably without watering. Preparing plants for the dry period and following a few simple tips will help to avoid stress.