Irrigation System while on Vacation?

I'm looking for ideas on how to solve the problem of watering four plants while I'm gone on vacation for two weeks.

My location is inaccessible to anyone besides me, doesn't have a water faucet (but I could put a big rubbermaid trash can full of water there...

I am playing with the idea of using a submersible aquarium water pump, hooked up to a digital timer set to turn on once every other day for a minute or two.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Aqua Globes! Might need 2 in each pot depending on the size of your plants.
https://www.buyaquaglobes.com/

Thats the way. had done this all the time. Just test the system beforehand to see how long it needs to be on.

tip: have the tubing in a loop, it evens out the pressure giving each nozzle the same (or close to it) flow

BBBold said:

I'm looking for ideas on how to solve the problem of watering four plants while I'm gone on vacation for two weeks.

My location is inaccessible to anyone besides me, doesn't have a water faucet (but I could put a big rubbermaid trash can full of water there...

I am playing with the idea of using a submersible aquarium water pump, hooked up to a digital timer set to turn on once every other day for a minute or two.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

Well assuming they are in soil perhaps? If so taking a wild guess they prob only need about an equivalent one inch of rain water per week. Not sure watering them for a few min each day would be that good of a plan. On most plants frequent light watering makes them develop a shallow root system...and keeping the ground wet for extended periods would likely make them more prone to root rot etc. If they were mine and the aforesaid assumptions be true I would strive to water them good before leaving and hitting them a week later with a copious amount of water at the vacation midpoint then plan on watering them first thing when you get back. If the midpoint watering turned out not feasible believe I would just take my chances they would still be viable after leaving them unattended two weeks..whilst praying for rain. I mean the stuff is a weed and grows wild in many places. If it cant go two weeks between watering something is the matter with it.

bigwheel

Fill the bin fill off water add nutrints then ph them make sure that the ph is set at 5.0 has it will rise this way it will rise to a ok feed ph for the plants.i would advise buying a second pump there realy cheep put this in the bin just to put some oxagean into the feed and water.this second pump is important it will stop algie and fungie growing on the side if the tank and also keep the ph set alot better than if it was not there.this will come in for future grows anyhow all tanks shold have a second pump to airrate the water,the next criticle thing is a good time one that will not let you down.if the plants are on 18/6 then i would put set the timer to come on 3 times a day for 2 mins.hopefully the system will have a set up that any excess water will run back into the bin.if not then use the pump that you bought to airate the water to pump any excess water back into the bin,this pumping the unused water back into the bin will airate the water on it's own.get your hands on has much building clear plastic membrain that they use under concrete floors put this under your plants this will stop any water getting on the floor if there is any misshaps but you should fine.most important thig is test the system at least a week before you go so you can key in on any area's that might be a problem.and the last thing is MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING ELECTRICAL IS WELL OUT OF THE WAY UP HIGH.TRY NOT TO WORRY TO MUCH AND HAVE A GOOD EN THEY WILL BE FINE.If you are growing in soil then i would set timers to come on for 3 minutes every two days.Don't worry that this ammount of water is not enougth you will be supprised and you will get a far better root mass than if you were watering every day.But it is a differant ball game alltogether has i have put if you are growing soiless.

Yep, four plants in four pots in soil. Good guesses folks.

I appreciate all the input.

I've gone out and purchased all the crap I need, and will be putting it together today and tomorrow. I might have bought too little a pump... but it should be fine. Worst case, the guy at the aquarium store said to just pack it up like new and return it, no problem.

I'll put pictures of all the crap up when its put together...