Using Your Wine Habit to Keep Plants Watered Over Vacation
I don’t have many plants, but every summer I host a tomato plant or two on my balcony. Which is awesome, until I’m gone longer than an overnight trip. Then the Washington, DC summer heat is cruel and relentless and more than a self-watering planter can combat. And so I’ve tried alot of different options to keep the water going in my absence.
So if you’re looking for help keeping your plants hydrated, here are a few self-watering planter options I’ve tried out which are good for indoor and outdoor plants alike.
Top Self-Watering Planter Pick: Aqua Globes
The colorful glass spheres aren’t really to my aesthetic taste, but out of everything I’ve tried, I’ve been pleased with the speed with which they deliver water to the plants. One globe will keep a well watered tomato plant moist for a day to a day and a half. Just make sure you get the right size, I accidentally got the mini-globes the first time which are perfect for indoor plants but not enough for large outdoor foliage. They are still available, but unfortunately have been discontinued by the manufacturer.
Runner Up Self-Watering Planter: Plant Nanny Bottle Stake
Made out of ceramic, these stakes are more sensitive to soil dampness then their plastic counterparts. They will hold any standard plastic bottle, whether it’s 20oz or 2 liters. I like them for extended trips because they hold more than the Aqua Globes, but I wouldn’t recommend using more than a 1 liter bottle. It becomes top heavy and more likely to fall over without additional support. I also recommend soaking the stakes in water before embedding in the soil to ensure better water delivery.
Intrigued but Untried: Plant Nanny Wine Bottle Stake
So apparently plastic water bottles aren’t the only self-watering planter option. They also make stakes to turn your empty wine bottles into irrigation systems. I was tempted, but after my experience with the two liter bottles being too top heavy in wind, I didn’t want to risk the bottle falling on the concrete and breaking.
What have you found to be effective?
Note: purchases made through the links above may result in affiliate credit. Thank you for your support!
