Vacation for 5 days - ideas on watering while away?

[posternutbag]

I've got a soil setup going and will be flowering when i have to go meet my folks on vacation. I was racking my brain about ideas on how to get away with not watering for those 5 days, or how to water remotely in the middle of my trip. I'm going to hit them right before I leave hard and on the day I get back - less than 6 days total.

Even with over watering right before I leave, they will be lookin for water by the 4th day and will slow production a lot which i'd like to avoid. Was considering covering the soil with mulch to try to "lock in" as much moisture as possible. I'm in CO with not much humidity to help the situation.

I've got a friend or two who could come by, but my room is set up "just so" and I would hate for a friend to come over and not shut the curtain all the way and hermie my girls out. This is one of those times if I were running hydro I'd have no problem.

I was thinking about some of these (http://www.yourstoreonline.net/watering_globes_4pc_deluxe_set/id837/product.html?affiliate=&scomp=)
or this
(http://store.jobesplantastic.com/index.aspx?gclid=CLbj957Fpa0CFYUZQgodNnO0nQ)

What y'all think???

 

[Maj.Cottonmouth]

I have used blumats with great success. Thread here.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=111046

 

[posternutbag]

the blumat looks like a cool product but seems expensive... any other ideas?

 

[Iron_Lion]

put a saucer under the plant and fill it with water.

 

[posternutbag]

yeah my pots are in saucers... you think overwatering and filling up the saucer in the bottom with an inch or two of water will do it? i was thinking that but wanted to avoid possible mold issues.

 

[posternutbag]

gonna try that and hydrospikes - just got some

 

[Iron_Lion]

If you have enough air flow you shouldn't have any issues with mold. It's only 5 days not that long all things considered.

 

[Rjstoner]

my lady used the globes they suck especialy the smaller one
if u got some small plastic hoses and some drip system heads you could make some gravity feed drip systems with gallon jugs or 2 liters

 

[posternutbag]

yeah the hydro spikes are like that - probe into soil that syphons water from a reservoir through a plastic tube when soil dries.

heard peeps in other threads talking about wrapping some extra black/white poly around the base of the plant, or mulching on top of the soil to lock it in. may do the poly - i got some extra lying around.

 

[Airnut]

I just made me some for my hydrocontainer, but it should be useable for you.

Its simply a timer connected to 12V converter that drives a windshield wiper pump from a car, they cost like 10U$ in purchase or less, pump needs a container big enough to hold the water needed.
The feedhose can with ease be upgraded to water multiple pots using T-connections and a squeze screw to adjust equal waterflow in the delivertubes.

The pump. This universal pump build for Volkswagen (VW) carmodels between 1986-1994, delivers aprox 2,7 Liter pr min at 12Volt - 1.3L at 6V.

 

[Sam the Caveman]

In the past I've just used some adjustable drippers on 1/4" lines that plugged into a 1/2" hose that fit directly on a pump.

Just turn the pump on and adjust the drippers to where the is a slow drip and run it for a few minutes each day.

Make sure you have a hole poked in the 1/2" hose just above the water line in the bucket/rez so that when the pump turns off it won't siphon all the water out of the bucket.

All this stuff I got at home depot including the pump for about $25 or so.

 

[moodster]

i might have to try this ^

 

[rives]

If you are in soil, you are stepping over an opportunity by not trying out the Blumats. I am normally out of town about 10 days a month, and they are the only reason that I can maintain this schedule. How many plants do you have going? A "patio kit" is about $75 for 12 blumats and a bunch of associated parts.

 

[BadRabbit]

In the past I've just used some adjustable drippers on 1/4" lines that plugged into a 1/2" hose that fit directly on a pump.

Just turn the pump on and adjust the drippers to where the is a slow drip and run it for a few minutes each day.

Make sure you have a hole poked in the 1/2" hose just above the water line in the bucket/rez so that when the pump turns off it won't siphon all the water out of the bucket.

All this stuff I got at home depot including the pump for about $25 or so.

And if you can put that together, you can easily build a DIY hydro system and never have to worry about the issue again ... (that's exactly how I got into hydro anyway)
best,
rabbit

 

[medleaf]

felt makes a great wick. Just take a length 5-6 inches longer then the depth of the pot. Use a strong rod to push the wick up through the pot at a diagonal line. Then leave the tail in a container of water and when dry the plant will water itself. best of luck. leaf

 

[killa_cam]

i was just about to make a thread about this same question
IDk what to do.
im leaning towards a drip method

 

[posternutbag]

ok im back and every thing was fine and dandy

i over watered and left a good inch at least of extra water in the saucer and hooked up a hydropike to each pot right near the stem. only the smaller pots had used all the reservoir i left them and were ready for water. the others looked fine and the hyrdospikes kept at least the top of the soil moist

that window washer pump idea is awesome buddy

sorry i didnt try the blumats, but i will keep in mind for the future, thanks bro

 

[posternutbag]

it was 6 days in between heavy waterings

i usually always water every 3rd day, but that could be too much? i hope not.

 

[BCMaster]

If you are in soil, you are stepping over an opportunity by not trying out the Blumats. I am normally out of town about 10 days a month, and they are the only reason that I can maintain this schedule. How many plants do you have going? A "patio kit" is about $75 for 12 blumats and a bunch of associated parts.

Answer me this,

Can you use standard 1/4" drip line with the blumats or do they require a special diameter line?

 

[rives]

Answer me this,

Can you use standard 1/4" drip line with the blumats or do they require a special diameter line?

I doubt that standard 1/4" line would fit the 8mm fittings (that works out to about 5/16"). You can probably find fittings that would work - there are people using much larger tubing and even 1/2" pvc for their distribution plumbing, and there is a supplier for fittings mentioned in the big blumat thread. The small 3mm line that goes through the blumat itself is special, it is a very soft silicone that the valve can pinch closed.