Watering Houseplants While on Vacation
We are approaching the time of year when many people take vacation. In the rush to get everything done before leaving, don't forget your houseplants will probably need watering while you are gone. The best alternative is to have someone water them for you. However, if this is not possible, there are alternatives.
1. Well-watered plants can be placed inside a plastic bag. Prop up the bag by using wooden dowels or something similar to keep the plastic off the leaves. Make sure the enclosed plants will not receive full sun as heat buildup may cook them. Bright, indirect light is best. Plants should keep for about a week with this method.
2. This method requires an old dish drying rack, a bathtub in a bathroom with some natural light
and some shoelaces. Place the drying rack upside down in the tub and add several inches of
water. Push one end of a shoelace through a drainage hole on the bottom of a pot and into the
potting soil of your houseplant. The other end of the shoelace dangles into the water. What you
have made is a wick system that will replace water in the pot as the plant uses it. Plants can last a couple of weeks if you have enough natural light.
3. There are numerous commercial products that can be used to automatically water houseplants in your absence. The advantage of these products is that the houseplant does not normally need to be moved. All require a reservoir from which water is either siphoned or pumped to individual houseplants. Houseplants should last as long as the water holds out.
New Publication on Planting Trees
Cathie Lavis, K-State Research and Extension's Landscape Specialist has authored a new publication on planting trees. This is a two-page publication with the first page covering the proper planting of a ball-in-burlap tree, and the second page covering container-grown trees. If you want a newly planted tree to survive and thrive, proper planting is vital. You can find the publication at: https://www.bookstore.ksre.k-state.edu/pubs/MF3313.pdf.