Potted plants in particular dry out quickly in the summer heat, so it’s good to take care of watering them even when you’re traveling. Fortunately, a holiday watering can for flowers is easy to make.
When going on a trip, the flowers in the home and garden are often left to their own devices and wither, so a holiday watering can for the flowers comes in handy.
In the summer heat, potted plants need constant, even daily watering. The soil in the pot dries in no time, especially on a warm balcony or a toasty terrace.
A self-made watering system ensures that watering a houseplant or flower on vacation is successful without anyone having to water the flowers.
CEO of the Garden Association Timo Taulavuori recommends a string, which allows the flowers to get water as if by themselves.
Read also: Watering flowers in summer: this is how to water summer flowers correctly
Watch the video to see how the self-made irrigation system works:
Read also Anna.fi: We listed the dead and the survivors of summer flowers – a certain trendy flower is “too good to be true” according to the gardener
Make a holiday sprinkler for flowers with these instructions
It is possible to easily assemble a self-made irrigation system from a string made of natural fiber or a strip of fabric. In addition, you only need a container with water.
The sprinkler’s power is based on the capillary effect, where the water moves towards drier areas.
Note that the gimmick only works if you dip the string in advance and place the water container higher than the pot. It is worth testing the functionality of the irrigation system before going on vacation.
Narukikka works equally well both outdoors and indoors, but you should avoid direct sunlight to the pot and water container.
The irrigation system can also be tried for watering plants other than pots.
A string can be wound from a strip cut from the sheet, which leads the irrigation water to the flower pot. You can put strings in several flowerpots from the same water container. © Anni Reenpää
Accessories for a self-made irrigation system in one pot:
- approx. 50 cm thick string made of natural fiber or a strip of fabric made of natural fiber, for example cotton
- a large container with water, for example a flat salad bowl or a deep glass pitcher
- (grill stick or other long stick)
Make a holiday watering can for flowers like this:
- Move the potted plant out of direct sunlight. Indoors, protect the floor or the table under the pot with plastic in case water from the irrigation system drips outside the pot.
- Cut a long strip of cotton fabric or use a thick jute string. If you use fabric, roll it into a thread so that it becomes stringy. Thus, moisture is retained better, and the fabric does not dry out.
- Place a large container of water next to the pot. Place it higher than the pot, for example on top of a stack of books or a stool. Make sure that the bottom of the water container is at the same level or higher than the top edge of the pot.
- Wet the string completely with water. Put the other end of the string in a container of water so that it reaches the bottom of the container. Insert the other end of the string into the soil in the pot to a depth of about 15 cm. You can insert the string into the soil with a barbecue stick. Make sure the string is firmly attached to the soil.
- When the soil is dry, the water slowly travels along the string into the soil. The irrigation system works as long as there is enough water in the container. The bigger the water container, the more reliable the irrigation water will last for a long time. The temperature also affects how quickly the water is consumed.
Source: kotiliesi.fi
