Plants need water for hydration

06 May 2011

Pure Eau looks at top tips to stop plants dying when you are away
We have all done it – been so excited about our holidays only to forget to ask a neighbour to water the plants, or dashed away on a last minute deal and thought about our dying tomatoes on the plane. So, with a careful bit of planning, Pure Eau picked up some tips to ensure that our plants are as lovely and alive as the day we left them. Every living thing needs water. The human body needs approximately 8 glasses a day to ensure it is hydrated and to enjoy optimum health. Our water coolers and water filters use a process known as Reverse Osmosis to ensure the water you drink has been purified to ensure you are drinking nothing but pure and healthy water. It isn’t necessary to spend a load of money on expensive water irrigation systems, and Pure Eau has gone straight for the budget approach by reading  wonderful tips from the thrifty readers of moneysavingexpert   (www.moneysavingexpert.com)
Capillary matting. 

This is a sort of fibrous material which you place under the pots and then dangle one end of it in a bucket of water. The matting soaks up the water from the bucket and then the plants absorb the water from the matting. In theory the plants then shouldn't dry out or drown.

Upside down water bottles.
Drill holes in the cap to slow down the flow of water from the bottle to the plant and have a practice run to ensure that it works OK before you trust it to keep your plants watered for a prolonged period of time. You can also buy specially designed spikes which fit on the bottles and go in the ground should you wish.  We at Pure Eau value recycling, especially when it comes to water bottles. Unfortunately too many end-up in land fill sites and aid pollution.  This is a great way to save money and the planet.

Use a towel
Move the lettuce pots to a shadier part of the garden. Stand the pots next to an old dishpan or similar, filled with water. Put one end of an old towel in the water and stand the pots on the other end (you need a plastic sheet underneath the whole lot or suchlike for this to work well). Water will soak up from the dishpan into the towel and under your pots.  You can do it for houseplants too, put the whole lot in the bath. Cover over the basin to reduce evaporation.

Use pots as a drip waterer
If you can dig around your water hogs (ie tomatoes) you can bury a terracotta pot and use that as a drip watering system.  Block the hole with bath sealant, sink the pot in the ground, fill it with water and cover it. The water seeps out slowly and keeps your little darlings alive.

Mulch, mulch and mulch. Use newspaper if you can't lay your hands on anything else.

Shade
Consider shade netting for your lettuce and other greens which don't like full sun all the time. You can use old net curtains etc. Weed-blocking fabric also comes in handy.
So, top tips for thrifty gardeners. With a dry spring and predicted warm summer it is important to ensure your plants get plenty of pure, clean water to keep them in the best possible condition. Pure Eau’s water coolers and water filters provide homes and offices with an endless supply of as much pure water as you can drink.   

Article Links

water filter http://www.pure-eau.co.uk/water-filters.cfm
pure water http://www.pure-eau.co.uk/benefits/crystal-clear.cfm
water coolers http://www.pure-eau.co.uk/water-coolers.cfm
reverse osmosis http://www.pure-eau.co.uk/the-process.cfm

‹ Back