June 9, 2023, 3:48 am | Read time: 3 minutes
If you love your balcony plants, you’ll need support during your summer vacation. When it gets really hot, even daily. The alternative: a DIY bottle irrigation system.
There is an affordable solution to keep plants on the balcony or in the garden thriving during vacation. Pelargonium for Europe, an initiative of several geranium breeders, recommends burying PET bottles in the pot. Depending on the size of the plants, they can be supplied with water for several days up to a week. Learn how to water plants with a bottle here.
How to Water Plants with a Bottle
First, poke a few holes in the lower part of the empty bottles. This side goes into the potting soil. The soil will continuously draw some supply from the bottle as it dries out. The resulting vacuum prevents all the liquid from flowing out at once. The bottle’s opening remains at the surface so you can refill it with water as needed.
Alternatively, you can puncture the bottle cap and insert the bottle upside down into the soil. To refill, you must remove the PET bottle each time. Here are more methods to keep balcony plants watered during your vacation.
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What to Watch Out for with This Method
A tip after trying the irrigation method: A large portion of the water may run out immediately when filling. This means the potting soil was too dry and absorbed a large amount of supply. Therefore, it’s best to water the soil thoroughly just before leaving for vacation and then fill the PET bottle.
Also, ensure that the bottles inserted upside down in the soil are stable. Otherwise, they can easily tip over or fall–which can be dangerous for passersby if pots are on the balcony railing. Bottles can also easily tip over if they have thin walls and the internal vacuum causes them to collapse. Tip: Use sturdier reusable bottles instead of disposable ones.
More on the topic: How do plants in the garden or on the balcony survive my vacation?
Can You Bring the Plants Indoors?
Alternatively, it is often suggested to bring balcony plants indoors during vacation. It’s cooler and not sunny, which limits water loss. However, experts from the Chamber of Agriculture NRW advise against this–especially for summer flowers in the middle of the growing season.
The loss of sunlight can stress the plants–after all, they need energy for photosynthesis, their life engine. As a countermeasure, plants shed their energy-draining buds and blooms. If the plants are brought back outside after some time, they may suffer shock. Buds and leaves can die.