How to Water Your Plants When You're Away

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water your plants when you're away

How to Water Your Plants When You're Away

Set up a self-watering system so your plants get watered while you're away on vacation.

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Step 1 of 4
Place one end of the string deep in the plant soil.

Place one end of the string deep in the plant soil.

Step 2 of 4
Place the other end of the string into the water bottle.

Place the other end of the string into the water bottle.

Step 3 of 4
The water will wick its way up the string and into the soil, keeping your plant watered while you're on vacation.

The water will wick its way up the string and into the soil, keeping your plant watered while you're on vacation.

Step 4 of 4
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43 Comments
Supplies

Screwdriver

Water Bottle

String

Yen Tran Ngoc

Cool way <3

Yen Tran Ngoc 1 day ago

Rhea Rhae

Wow cool

Rhea Rhae 2 weeks ago

Phyllis Simon

it was great

Phyllis Simon 2 months ago

Boris Borealis

Great idea!

Boris Borealis 2 months ago

Penny Koryk

put a straw around the string to help keep the air from drying it out.

Penny Koryk 2 months ago

Paul Truman Jr.

This was an awesome idea. I have a recycled quart sized laundry bottle and it should supply enough moisture to our plants for three weeks. Thanks.

Paul Truman Jr. 2 months ago

Build.com

Hi, Robb and Jeff. Both are excellent suggestions that could make this tip even more efficient. Thank you!

(author) 2 months ago

Lori Auchampach Garrard

Interesting. May have to try that this summer.

Lori Auchampach Garrard 3 months ago

Robb Canlas

And how about elevate the water source higher than the plant, moist seeks lower level due to gravity

Robb Canlas 3 months ago

Jeff Newkirk

Great tip!, My suggestion to improve this method would be to wrap the exposed string with plastic wrap to lower evaporation into the air.

Jeff Newkirk 3 months ago

Fernando Biancardi

Very cool tip, Thank's!

Fernando Biancardi 5 months ago

Rebekah Morrison

Great idea! Might just use it all the time..! I always forget to water the poor things! :)

Rebekah Morrison 5 months ago

Jones Davy

不错

Jones Davy 5 months ago

Ben Lemel 🎈

Awesome idea!! I couldn't find a string so I used a shoelace and so far working brilliantly!! Thanks a mil!!!!

Ben Lemel 🎈 5 months ago

Philipp Kemper

Smart.

Philipp Kemper 5 months ago

Bryan Yuan

Nice work.

Bryan Yuan 5 months ago

Gemma Cabreros

Good idea!

Gemma Cabreros 5 months ago

Brooke Ragsdale

Very cool idea

Brooke Ragsdale 5 months ago

Sharon Tan

Wow really?!! Such a clever guide, thanks!

Sharon Tan 5 months ago

Lori Yamaz

Genius!!!

Lori Yamaz 5 months ago

Edward Bulamaibau

Thank you very much when I went on a vocation my planets starting to die when I came back ... That was clever by the way..

Edward Bulamaibau 5 months ago

Danny Mustafa

Clever

Danny Mustafa 5 months ago

Kenny Ray

Very clever. Gotta try this!

Kenny Ray 5 months ago

Michael Schnitman

this is hydroponics 101 : )

Michael Schnitman 5 months ago

Beth Keyser

I love it!

Beth Keyser 5 months ago

Pavel Balter

nice

Pavel Balter 5 months ago

Giang Tran

Cool

Giang Tran 5 months ago

Scott Higgins

I like it! Thanks

Scott Higgins 6 months ago

Lin Joseph

Good idea!

Lin Joseph 6 months ago

Natasha Jackson

Awesome! Thanks for the idea :)

Natasha Jackson 6 months ago

Olivia W

Cool I will try it

Olivia W 6 months ago

Ed Rd

Great guide. Simple, to the point.

Ed Rd 6 months ago

Annie Johnson

I do this for keeping my Christmas tree from drying out. For the water container I use a gallon milk container.

Annie Johnson 6 months ago

Juan Marco Rivera

How many days can a liter of water hold for?

Juan Marco Rivera 6 months ago

Jo Dante

Would it be better to place the bottle on higher ground than the flower pot?

Jo Dante 6 months ago

Khalid Ali

Greet idea

Khalid Ali 6 months ago

Simona Giacobbi

That's cool! 😮

Simona Giacobbi 6 months ago

Kostas Georgioy

Very cool! 👌👌

Kostas Georgioy 6 months ago

Serene Snapguider

Wow, cool! 👍I travel for work a lot and for extended periods, so this will really come in useful. Does it really work??

Serene Snapguider 6 months ago

shera Qu

Smart🍀

shera Qu 6 months ago

Missy Pokipoki

I like this its a good idea thanks

Missy Pokipoki 6 months ago

Crystal Helton

That's cool. Thanks

Crystal Helton 6 months ago

Nathan Stephens

Very awesome

Nathan Stephens 5 months ago

Dawn Poe

This is so cool!

Dawn Poe 5 months ago

Colin Baker

Brilliant! Thanks

Colin Baker 6 months ago

Me

Excellent idea...thank u

Me 6 months ago

Ali Shadpour

Cotton

Ali Shadpour 6 months ago

Jo Dante

What kind of strings are possible to use ?

Jo Dante 6 months ago

Be first to comment on Step 2.

Annie Finnegan

Fantabulous!

Annie Finnegan 2 months ago

Courtney Pedersen

I'm testing this one... Fingers crossed!

Courtney Pedersen 4 months ago

Suhail K

I'm going on vacation for a month in just a few days. Lets see if this works.

Suhail K 5 months ago

James Keogh

Nice tip

James Keogh 5 months ago

Drenjess Crawford

Great!!

Drenjess Crawford 5 months ago

Mary Goodreds

Love it!

Mary Goodreds 5 months ago

majio kitten

looks cool !is it really work?

majio kitten 5 months ago

David Bywater

Nice!

David Bywater 5 months ago

Kathryn Burns

This is awesome

Kathryn Burns 5 months ago

G G

Cool

G G 6 months ago

Banerjee Babu Ramineni

Simple & great! I will try this in my next vacation

Banerjee Babu Ramineni 5 months ago

Sam Tzanetakos

Great guide. Will this work for a two week vacation? Should I use two bottles?

Sam Tzanetakos 5 months ago