Watering plants...

[MaxMustermann]

Hi all,

I've got a dilemma!!

I'm going to be away from 5 May in the evening till 16 May in the evening. That's basically 11 whole days. I've got plants in flower boxes on the balcony, where they get sun from early in the morning till mid-afternoon. The plants I have are: spearmint, marjoram, estragon as grown plants, and rucola, flat-leaf parsley and chives as little plants growing from seeds ranging from 2 to 4 weeks old.

I've checked the weather forecast for the next 10 days and it is possible that it rains from the 11 May. It's just sun before that!

I have the possibility (and hassle) to carry the boxes with me (as I'll be staying in a different apartment during that time).

So.. should I risk it and leave them all alone for so long or should I take them with me?

Any suggesstions?

Thanks, Max

[<elaine_h]

[<elaine_h]

[Doug Kanter]

Max, never count on "sposeta" - it's "sposeta rain". The best suggestion is to have a competent person water the plants, but if this isn't possible, here's what you do: Water the plants thoroughly and let the boxes drain so they're not messy. Buy some heavy plastic sheets like those used to protect floors while painting. Bring the plants indoors, group them together, and close all the shades & curtains. This will slow their metabolism so they need less water.

The only caveat here is that although this method works beautifully for mature plants, it's a bit risky with tiny seedlings because they don't use as much water, so if the soil's too wet, their roots could rot, especially in dim lighting with little or no air circulation. You have to get the soil just right. Not soaked, but not too dry.

[betsyb]

Take a large soda bottle and cut the bottom out. Poke it in the soil upside down. Fill with water and hope for the best. BetsyB