A question for the gardeners...

[Swisslulu]

We are going to be away for 5 nights from Thursday and have two large terracotta pots with standard gardenias either side of the front doors facing west and under the roof line. The pots are too heavy to move. Given that the temperature today is 36 degrees, I am very concerned about keeping these plants alive. So my question is, what would you use to keep the plants watered? I would prefer not to have to ask a neighbour.

[Dot]

We got a couple of 2 lt coke bottles filled them with water then bury the opening into the ground either side of the plants. That worked for us. Maybe a good deep seasol watering before you go will help as well. Also some shade cloth over them while you are gone.

[Swisslulu]

Thanks Dot. I had heard of the water bottle idea but was not sure it would work. Thanks for all the ideas.

[Mrcoolabah1au]

Think you suppose to freeze the bottle that way takes longer for the water to come out ?

[T1 Terry]

If you go to the local bunnings store and look for Sika flex bulk bag nozzles, grab a couple. They are the ones with the big collar on top, these fit in the tube type chalking guns and the top of a Coke bottle should fit into it a short way.
Cut 3 long slits with an angle grinder cutting blade along the nozzle but not right the way to either end, bury this point down near the base of the plant. Water the plant through this nozzle and watch to see the water level inside the nozzle slowly drops. If it dosn't, the soil is too tightly packed or not enough material to allow the water to soak through, it it just runs straight out the bottom it needs more soil packed into the pot.
When you get this to work, fill the 2 ltr Coke bottle and up end it in the nozzle, tie it to the bush if needed. When the water level drops in the nozzle, air will gulp into the coke bottle and allow more water to run out and refill the nozzle. If you have a day or two before you leave, just watch how much water each plant drinks, then you will know if one bottle per plant is enough.

[Swisslulu]

Thanks Nini...that would mean it would be about 30 minutes before it melted up here!!

[RussellB[SA]]

We load up our fridge with frozen meals, then when our darling son drops in for a meal he waters our pots, etc.

Works well for us.

[dapope]

Replace with plastic plants

[Swisslulu]

Can't ask the kids this time Russell.

Haha, Martin, very funny. The reason I am so keen to keep them happy is because the professional photographer is coming the afternoon we get home to take the pics for our house listing. A couple of dead gardenias beside the front door won't be a good look!

[BruceS]

Lesley I bought a tap timer.
It takes just one AA sized battery to run it.
Put it on the tap, turn on the tap & put a pipe on it. We have about 60ft of 1/2" poly dripper tubing connected to it with about 18 sprays on it.
It keeps all the one side of our drive green.
You could just do a short run with two drippers on it.
I can set it for every day, every second day, etc etc Plus ....... 5mins, 10mins, up to an hour each time as well as what time to turn on...........
eg. We have it for 20 mins, every second day & at 9PM.
They are so handy!