Before you go, two to three weeks or less, amateur florists worry: How do you keep houseplants from wilting and dying? You can buy off-the-shelf equipment for filling the substrate with water at an agricultural store, but there is another low-cost option.
This is automatic watering of indoor plants with your own hands. How do I equip my system? What types are best? What are the advantages and disadvantages of home structures for moistening soil for ornamentals? The answer in the article.
What is automatic watering?
A soil wetting system without the involvement of the grower is a simple but effective solution to the problem of watering indoor flowers. Considering the rules, it is not difficult to find the best design for certain types of ornamental plants. The automatic watering “device” operates by gradually adding liquid from the container to the pot through a hole in the tank, along with a “wick” or through a drainage hole in the wet base.
As the soil dries out, a new liquid portion is added, the substrate is always moderately moist, and the roots absorb the water. The word “installation” is not written in quotation marks by accident: most automatic irrigation systems for indoor flowers are very simple and made of scrap. Even novice green decorators are up to the task.
Under what circumstances do plants in an apartment need automatic irrigation? If away for more than a day or two, it is useful to have a system that wets the substrate while the owner is away. Some types of houseplants require frequent watering, and without sufficient moisture, the flowers will soon die. A good neighbor or relative can be asked to come to the house during vacations or trips and water azaleas, indoor roses, begonias, violets, December flowers, heliotrope, etc. on a regular basis, but this option is not always possible. If for some reason the helper can’t arrive on time, then watering at too long an interval can ruin the flowers.
In addition, not all family and friends agree to take the time to care for houseplants in someone else’s home. It is no coincidence that amateur flower growers know how to automatically water their plants themselves so that a simple structure can be quickly installed on a windowsill or other area at the right time. Here are the pros and cons of autonomous moisture-absorbing devices, types of products, materials, and ways to manufacture the available systems.
Automatic watering advantages and disadvantages:
Pros: The method is inexpensive: many structures are made from scraps; Good results: the soil stays moist for a long time; No special skills are required to make an automatic home irrigation system; A variety of options; The method is suitable for moistening large and small vases, all types of flowers.
Cons: You need to experiment in advance to choose the best length, the “wick” material, and the diameter of the hole in the plastic container.
Caution
It is recommended to test the automatic irrigation system when the owner is away from home for a long time. You can make two or three types of structures and check which one works better, from what the “wick” is made and which type of automatic irrigation will be the best. It is important to experiment to find out the diameter of the hole in the plastic cap so that the water does not flow out too fast or, on the contrary, too slowly.
Types of automatic watering
Experienced growers offer a variety of home systems:
1. Top wick irrigation. Liquid enters the soil through a “wick” that is wrapped in bandages, strips of cloth, and not very thick bundles.
2. Bottom wick irrigation. After temporarily removing the soil, pass the wick on a rag or bandage through the drainage hole (from bottom to top). The plant “drinks” from the liquid-filled pot or tray; bottom watering. This is a good choice for indoor ornamentals that like good soil moisture. Pour pebbles or expanded clay into the pot, pour in more water, and submerge the pot so that 1/3 of the pot is in the liquid. Moisture enters the ground through the drainage holes and reaches the above-ground part of the flower.
3. Drip irrigation. An inexpensive simulation of an off-the-shelf automatic irrigation system. A good method for large plants and large pots. Punch holes in the caps of bottles of gewürztraminer, lemonade, and other beverages, fill them with liquid and place the containers upside down in the pots. If the plants are very large, then you will need two or three plastic bottles. Through the holes in the lids, water gradually flows into the ground and the soil does not dry out.
4. Use hydrogel and granular clay soil. Fillers that actively absorb and gradually release water are sold in the “Everything for Home and Garden” store. The method is simple and effective, the ready-made components are simple to use and the soil does not dry out for a long time. Despite the cost of purchasing hydrogel, the result will certainly please flower growers.
How to prepare indoor flowers while the owner is away
Although automatic irrigation is effective, experienced florists recommend a few simple activities if the owner is going to be on vacation for a few weeks. Done correctly, this will reduce stress on the root system and prepare the plant for reduced water and nutrient intake.
How to do:
1. shortly before departure, remove the pots from the window sill and move the planter containing the plants away from the window so that water evaporation is diminished.
2. thin the foliage a bit and cut off buds and blooming flowers.
3. add a layer of mulch on top of sawdust, moss, or chopped straw. Before the operation, moisten and loosen the soil, then add about 1 cm of any natural ingredients from the list.
Tip
Automatic watering of indoor plants keeps the soil from drying out and the flowers from dying in the long absence of the owner. You shouldn’t spend money on ready-made systems from agricultural stores: you can easily and quickly provide almost free automatic watering of green decorations in your home with your own hands. Useful information to help flower growers: types, advantages, manufacturing methods, useful tips.
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