Posted by Jack on July 3, 2011, 4:24 am
Hi
My question is about having several small pots, and putting them in a
shallow plastic tray with water in it.
Is this OK?
Would it be a bad idea because the water would never be able to get up
from the tray through the soil to the roots?
Or would it be a bad idea because it would be like leaving the plants in
standing water?
Would it be better than leaving them completely without water if you're
going on holiday?
Sorry if this is a naive question.
Cheers
Jack
Posted by kay on July 3, 2011, 5:54 am
'Jack[_24_ Wrote:
> ;928933']Hi
>
> My question is about having several small pots, and putting them in a
> shallow plastic tray with water in it.
>
> Is this OK?
>
> Would it be a bad idea because the water would never be able to get up
> from the tray through the soil to the roots?
>
> Or would it be a bad idea because it would be like leaving the plants in
>
> standing water?
>
> Would it be better than leaving them completely without water if you're
>
> going on holiday?
>
>
In general, if you're talking about long periods, leaving plants in
standing water is a bad idea because the roots rot. If you want to
provide a higher level of humidity, then standing them on a tray of
gravel or pebbles, and filling the tray with water to the top of the
gravel, works very well.
BUT - for a holiday, ie for a shortish period, you can get away with it,
and it's definitely preferable to no water!
In autumn and spring, smallish plants will cope for just over a
fortnight (3 weeks is pushing it) in a greenhouse if you leave them
standing in a good inch of water - it takes the first week or so to use
up the water in the tray, the second week to dry out the soil, and
they're ready for a good drink when you get back.
Outside, you also get rain, so you have to check the weather forecast
and adjust how wet you leave the plants - you don't want them to be up
to their necks in water for two weeks.
In summer, it's that much more difficult. Small plants (indeed, any
plants other than cacti) are going to struggle in a greenhouse without
someone coming in to water them. And there are security issues too -
dead plants, or plants in the kitchen sink, are a good sign that the
owners are away and the house is empty
I do a combination of things. First I try to get as much as I can of the
stuff in pots planted out into the garden. The things that are going to
stay in pots I deal with in two ways. Some plants I put in the shade,
with or without a tray of water, depending on how well they cope with
drought. Other things I bring into the house, and stand in the bath with
about 3 inches of water. It's not ideal, but although more plants are
killed by overwatering than underwatering, it usually takes more than a
couple of weeks to kill by overwatering, whereas you can kill in a
couple of days by drying out completely.
Probably the best solution is to have a reservoir of water flowing at a
controlled rate on to suitable cloth on which you stand the plants.But
you would want to set this system up and have several practice runs
before leaving it unattended over the holiday. If you don't have a
couple of months to spare, I wouldn't risk it.
--
kay
Posted by 'Mike' on July 3, 2011, 11:33 am
> 'Jack[_24_ Wrote:
>> ;928933']Hi
>>
>> My question is about having several small pots, and putting them in a
>> shallow plastic tray with water in it.
>>
>> Is this OK?
>>
>> Would it be a bad idea because the water would never be able to get up
>> from the tray through the soil to the roots?
>>
>> Or would it be a bad idea because it would be like leaving the plants in
>>
>> standing water?
>>
>> Would it be better than leaving them completely without water if you're
>>
>> going on holiday?
>>
>>
> In general, if you're talking about long periods, leaving plants in
> standing water is a bad idea because the roots rot. If you want to
> provide a higher level of humidity, then standing them on a tray of
> gravel or pebbles, and filling the tray with water to the top of the
> gravel, works very well.
> BUT - for a holiday, ie for a shortish period, you can get away with it,
> and it's definitely preferable to no water!
> In autumn and spring, smallish plants will cope for just over a
> fortnight (3 weeks is pushing it) in a greenhouse if you leave them
> standing in a good inch of water - it takes the first week or so to use
> up the water in the tray, the second week to dry out the soil, and
> they're ready for a good drink when you get back.
> Outside, you also get rain, so you have to check the weather forecast
> and adjust how wet you leave the plants - you don't want them to be up
> to their necks in water for two weeks.
> In summer, it's that much more difficult. Small plants (indeed, any
> plants other than cacti) are going to struggle in a greenhouse without
> someone coming in to water them. And there are security issues too -
> dead plants, or plants in the kitchen sink, are a good sign that the
> owners are away and the house is empty
> I do a combination of things. First I try to get as much as I can of the
> stuff in pots planted out into the garden. The things that are going to
> stay in pots I deal with in two ways. Some plants I put in the shade,
> with or without a tray of water, depending on how well they cope with
> drought. Other things I bring into the house, and stand in the bath with
> about 3 inches of water. It's not ideal, but although more plants are
> killed by overwatering than underwatering, it usually takes more than a
> couple of weeks to kill by overwatering, whereas you can kill in a
> couple of days by drying out completely.
> Probably the best solution is to have a reservoir of water flowing at a
> controlled rate on to suitable cloth on which you stand the plants.But
> you would want to set this system up and have several practice runs
> before leaving it unattended over the holiday. If you don't have a
> couple of months to spare, I wouldn't risk it.
> --
> kay
Time and time again this question of watering plants whilst you are away
comes up.
Neighbours and Family.
Don't any of you have them?
We have superb neighbours who look after our plants and house for us. If
those on one side didn't, the others would. Don't tell me that I am very
lucky to have good neighbours because I have ALWAYS had good neighbours. You
HAVE to live with them 'on your doorstep' 24/7/365. we can go away on a
World Cruise for 3 months, or move into our daughter's house whilst they go
away on a World Cruise, 3 months this year, 4 months next year, and OUR
house and plants are looked after.
Talk to your neighbours.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Mmmmmmmmmm knowing the attitude of some on here, 'Holier than Thou', I can
see your problems :-((
Mike
--
...................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.
...................................
Posted by Chris Hogg on July 3, 2011, 7:48 am
wrote:
>Hi
>My question is about having several small pots, and putting them in a
>shallow plastic tray with water in it.
>Is this OK?
>Would it be a bad idea because the water would never be able to get up
>from the tray through the soil to the roots?
>Or would it be a bad idea because it would be like leaving the plants in
>standing water?
>Would it be better than leaving them completely without water if you're
>going on holiday?
>Sorry if this is a naive question.
>Cheers
>Jack
Not a naive question at all. Very pertinent at this time of year.
It's never a good idea to let pot plants stand in water for any length
of time. If you're just watering them by filling the saucer that
they're in and letting it wick up into the pot, that's fine, but any
water that's left in the saucer after say an hour or so should be
tipped out.
If it's going on holiday you're worried about, the standard method
recommended in days past was to water the pots well and let them
drain, then line the bath (plug out) with wet newspaper several pages
thick and stand the pots in there. The damp newspaper maintains a high
humidity in the immediate area of the plants, and bathrooms are
usually cool and away from direct sun, so when you come home in two
week's time or whatever, they'll be fine.
--
Chris
Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales
Posted by Bob Hobden on July 3, 2011, 9:49 am
"Chris Hogg" wrote
> Jack wrote:
> >My question is about having several small pots, and putting them in a
> >shallow plastic tray with water in it.
> >
> >Is this OK?
> >
> >Would it be a bad idea because the water would never be able to get up
> >from the tray through the soil to the roots?
> >
> >Or would it be a bad idea because it would be like leaving the plants in
> >standing water?
> >
> >Would it be better than leaving them completely without water if you're
> >going on holiday?
> >
> >Sorry if this is a naive question.
> >
> Not a naive question at all. Very pertinent at this time of year.
> It's never a good idea to let pot plants stand in water for any length
> of time. If you're just watering them by filling the saucer that
> they're in and letting it wick up into the pot, that's fine, but any
> water that's left in the saucer after say an hour or so should be
> tipped out.
> If it's going on holiday you're worried about, the standard method
> recommended in days past was to water the pots well and let them
> drain, then line the bath (plug out) with wet newspaper several pages
> thick and stand the pots in there. The damp newspaper maintains a high
> humidity in the immediate area of the plants, and bathrooms are
> usually cool and away from direct sun, so when you come home in two
> week's time or whatever, they'll be fine.
Being summertime you could always put your houseplants outside in a non
sunny place and hope it rains while you are away or get a neighbour to water
them occasionally.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK
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>
> My question is about having several small pots, and putting them in a
> shallow plastic tray with water in it.
>
> Is this OK?
>
> Would it be a bad idea because the water would never be able to get up
> from the tray through the soil to the roots?
>
> Or would it be a bad idea because it would be like leaving the plants in
>
> standing water?
>
> Would it be better than leaving them completely without water if you're
>
> going on holiday?
>
>