watering

cassie101

tried and tested ideas for watering seedling when away please

Butterfly66

How long are you away for?

Fairygirl

Get a friend or neighbour to do it, if they're prepared to check regularly, and turn pots/trays, organise ventilation etc .
I don't think it's possible to get a reliable method otherwise. Too many variables, especially at this time of year. 
Others may disagree. 

cassie101

10days, was wondering if those string wicks work, the seedlings will be individually potted up by the time I go away in three weeks

Fairygirl

Depending what the plants are, you might be able to have them outside, in a sheltered spot. 
They'll still be very vulnerable though, even if potted on soon. 

The only time I've ever had to use a 'wicking' method was when I went away for week one September, as I had tomatoes in the growhouse. I used strips of towelling material and bottles of water, but a mature tomato is quit different from a small plant that's just been potted on. 

AnniD

I would try putting the pots in trays with capillary matting, in an area out of direct sunlight,such as a kitchen worktop/dining table.
Ten days is a long time though, do you have a friend or neighbour who could look after them,  or at least call in to make sure matting is damp and turn them so that they don't get "leggy" ?

cassie101

thank you for the advice and thoughts, the plants are in the greenhouse inside a mini greenhouse on a heated cable tray,  I was late getting the seed in this year,  they are usually decent sized plants in biggish pots by now and I use a drip hose when I'm away, they would drown if I tried that this year and wondered if anyone had any ideas,

my neighbours are a farming family and a young couple out at work all day so all much too busy and not gardeners either,  any advice appreciated

cassie101

forgot to say - tomatoes and peppers

Fairygirl

They need to be inside then, so you'll just have to do what you can, and probably sow more later. Next month is far too early to put small plants outdoors.

You'd have been better just sowing later if you knew you'd be away. It makes it more expensive if you're sowing early and heating a greenhouse too, but if it's what you usually do, and you can leave them on a drip system, that's fair enough. 

I've only just sown my toms in the last week   

cassie101

can't wait to ge tom seeds in after christmas, generally about the 2nd week january, and have my first few fresh tomatoes in june, (family probs stopped that this year)  grow them in the greenhouse along with peppers and cucumbers, not so good with cucumbers, generally plants produce loads then the new little ones yellow and die, I'm going to buy piece of the capillary matting and use it on a few salvia cuttings I managed to grow last autumn and see if they survive before I go away.

Jenny_Aster

Have a look at 'self watering spikes', they're about 80p each. They use plastic water/drink bottles. The dripper can be screwed down, same as on an irrigation system, to control the drip. Different size plastic bottles can be used. You can 'experiment' with them before you go for peace of mind.