Do-it-yourself autowatering for indoor plants

Automatic watering for indoor plants will keep the moisture level from the last watering procedure. This is not a panacea, especially since automatic watering has its own limitations. But in any case, this is the best way, both in terms of financial costs and ease of use, that will allow you to create a small oasis at home.

Automatic watering for indoor plants

There are several ways to organize automated watering. All methods described in this article are equally effective, but only if the period of operation of the irrigation system lasts no more than 12-14 days. These are the maximum periods for which plants can be left unattended.

Automatic watering for indoor plants

The preparatory work significantly increases the degree of color stability for the upcoming regime.

Here are some practical tips:

• The last top dressing should be carried out no later than 2 weeks before switching to the automatic watering mode. After fertilization, plants need to absorb a large amount of liquid for the normal assimilation of minerals.
• Three days before leaving the plants, you should cut off the buds, flowers, preferably part of the foliage. With a large green mass, moisture evaporates too quickly. It is also worth checking flowers for diseases and pests.
• To reduce the temperature and brightness of the light, the plants must be moved deeper into the room. Containers with flowers should be placed close to each other.
• Before leaving, it is recommended to water slightly more intensively than usual. This will allow the soil to soak well with the liquid. It is also recommended to line the containers with damp moss.

Flasks and balls-enemas

The flask for autowatering is a rounded tank filled with water; it has a tube tapering downward, through which liquid is supplied to the soil.

At the moment when the soil dries up, oxygen begins to flow into the leg of the enema, which helps to push out the required amount of liquid. In general, enemas are a good watering option, but they also have some drawbacks.

One of them is the uneven flow of water from the flask, which negatively affects the quality of irrigation. The tube is periodically clogged, so the moisture gets worse to the rhizome. Sometimes the flow of water into the ground occurs too quickly, and sometimes it stops altogether. Therefore, enemas can be used during departure, but this must be done very carefully.

Flasks and balls-enemas

Flower pots with auto-irrigation

Automatic watering pots are very easy and convenient to use. Their use provides subsurface, capillary irrigation. In one part of the container there is liquid, and the second is intended directly for the plant. That is, it is a double container or a pot equipped with a divider.

However, their device may vary depending on the manufacturer.For example, some have cone-shaped reservoirs of liquid that are installed in a pot and connected to a tube at the surface. The design of others assumes the presence of two vessels, installed one in one and side for fluid supply. Still others generally have a collapsible structure - the container is equipped with a special divider, an indicator tube and a reservoir with liquid.

If the plant has a small rhizome, then when planting it in a pot and filling most of the container with "empty" soil, you will have to wait for the moment when it grows and begins to "draw out" moisture by itself.

When planting a young plant in a large container, you will also need to wait about 70-90 days (sometimes even more than 3 months) until the roots become large enough. Throughout this period, the smart pot can be used as a regular one, that is, watering can be done in a standard way. For this reason, smart containers are only suitable for adult flowers and those whose old pot is the same size as the new one.

Flower pots with auto-irrigation

Capillary mats

You can also create an autonomous irrigation system using capillary mats. They are made of a material that absorbs liquid well.

Here's what you need to organize this system:

1. Prepare two pallets.
2. Water is poured into a large container.
3. Then the pallet (smaller) with a perforated bottom is loaded.
4. A rug is placed in the second pallet, and plants are located on it.

In addition, you can lay the table with rugs and place the pots on top. The edge of the rug should be dipped in a container of water. After the liquid begins to absorb, it will begin to move directly to the roots of the flowers.

Granular clay or hydrogel

You can also use hydrogel or granular clay to automate irrigation. They are good in that they are able to perfectly absorb moisture and give it to plants, and the process of supplying liquid occurs gradually, which has a positive effect on the state of the home flora.

In order to set up an automatic watering system for home plants, you need:

1. Pick up a roomy container.
2. Pour hydrogel or clay (layer) into the pot.
3. Place a flower on top (the rhizome does not need to be cleaned of an earthen coma).
4. The void between the walls of the container and the soil must be filled with the rest of the product and covered with plastic wrap.

This irrigation method can be used for a rather long period. It will also eliminate the need for frequent plant transplants.

Granular clay or hydrogel

Ceramic cones

Particularly popular was the system that uses ceramic cones. It is also sometimes called the carrot system.

This device is stuck into the ground, and the tube that leaves it is placed in a container with liquid. By itself, the process of pumping water does not need outside control. At the moment when the earth begins to dry out, the pressure acting on the vessel provokes the supply of liquid.

Finding the right place for a vessel with water can cause some problems, because when the tank is installed on a platform that is too high, the flower can simply be flooded, and if you set it too low, then the liquid will not flow to the plant at all.

If it is very difficult to find any place near the plant to install a reservoir with a liquid, then you can use a ceramic bottle attachment. To do this, you need to install the attachment on an ordinary plastic eggplant filled with water, and insert it into a container with flowers.

Wick system

Another simple way to irrigate water is by pumping water using a rope from which a wick is made. One of the ends of the rope is placed in a container with liquid, and the other is brought to the plant. The lace absorbs moisture and directs it directly to the flower.

For the irrigation method to be effective, you need to use synthetic rope that absorbs water well. Natural cords will not work as they deteriorate quickly.

The advantage of this system is that it can be adjusted. Watering will be more intensive as the water tank rises above the level of the plant pots. If you lower it lower, then the fluid supply, on the contrary, will decrease.

DIY auto-irrigation systems

In the absence of the possibility of using the irrigation methods described in the previous sections, you can go a slightly different way and refuse to use ready-made solutions and accessories that are attached to them. Even people who are inexperienced in this lesson will be able to do this without any problems. Moreover, in addition to the standard methods, there are quite a few of those that arose as a result of the experiments of amateur flower growers and just people caring for home flora.

Let's look at some examples of self-irrigation systems for indoor plants with our own hands.

Gravity irrigation

This method involves feeding the liquid into the pot through a conductor.

To put this method into practice, you need a cotton or polyethylene rope. One end of the lace will need to be dipped in a bottle of water. The container filled with liquid should be hung or placed next to the flower. The free end must be immersed in the soil mixture.

This solution is great for caring for indoor plants during the holiday season.

Gravity irrigation system

Watering from a plastic bottle

Watering with a plastic bottle is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to care for your plants. It provides uniform watering and allows you to build an irrigation system in a fairly short time. However, it should also be noted that this solution can be used for up to 4 days only.

Watering is done as follows:

1. Several holes are made on the lid. The more of them, the more intensive the watering.
2. The eggplant is filled with water.
3. Then it must be turned upside down and deepened into the soil.
4. Watering for indoor plants from a dropper

Dripper sprinkler

To begin with, you should remove the tips from the droppers, and also make sure they are intact. If any problems arose when blowing to one side, then the device must be replaced.

• To prevent droppers from floating to the surface, they should be carefully tied and weighted with something.
• Lower the bundled bundle into a container placed on an elevated shelf.
• Open the regulator on the tubes and close after filling with liquid.
• Insert the other end of the dropper into the ground.
• Open the irrigation regulator.

Drip irrigation

Disruptions can occur during fluid transport, so the pots should be checked regularly for overflows or underfilling. To do this, using a regulator on each of the droppers, the fluid flow rate is tested.

Only when the required water flow is established, the edges of the device can be lowered into containers with plants. This drip method will allow the plant to absorb liquid more efficiently.

There are quite a few systems and methods for automatic watering for indoor plants.It remains only to decide on the most optimal option that will best meet the needs of home flora.