We have been setting records for scorching summers for a few years now. That of 2022 was the warmest in the history of Europe since there are records and that of 2023 was the third in the ranking in Spain. What we’re wearing this summer in 2024 doesn’t seem like it’s going to break the trend, so more and more people are starting to look towards the coolest destinations for their vacations. And while those same people pack, with great joy, a pair of sweatshirts because they know that where they go at night it gets cold, they realize that not only will their plants not feel even a hint of that humid breeze, but they will They remain at home enduring the heat with no escape. So here are some ideas and tips to help the plants cope with the separation in a pleasant environment and without suffering excessively.
Let’s start with the first thing: irrigation. If you are not one of those lucky ones who can count on someone to come to your house to water or have all your plants in self-watering pots, you have to be inventive to ensure that the plants do not dry out during your absence. Let’s start with the more experimental methods, which include the cord trick and the plastic bottle with a hole in it.
The first is a capillary irrigation system; A container is filled with water and the end of a cord is placed in the water, preventing it from floating, and the other slightly buried in the substrate. In this way, the water reaches the plants through the cord and has the advantage that it can be used for several plants with several cords and, of course, adapting the size of the container to the number of pots it must supply. Another craft trick is the water bottle whose cap is made with small holes and buried face down in the substrate. It is a type of drip irrigation whose drawback is that it is quite difficult to measure the amount of water, which will depend on the size of the hole, and which may last a week or a couple of hours if it is not calibrated well.
The evolution of this second method is terracotta cones. “Thanks to the capillarity of the microporous terracotta, the water progressively transfers, watering the plant regularly, without excesses or lack of watering,” explains Quentin Brouhon, founder of Pur Plant, a store on-line that offers this system in different sizes. “With them you save up to 70% more water than with conventional irrigation, the water in them can last between 7 and 10 days and they are suitable for all types of plants,” he points out.
Halfway there are the so-called hydrogels or irrigation gels, which can be bought in most large stores. “These gel balls dissolve slowly, gradually adding water to the substrate,” explains Jesús David Navarro, from Viveros Murcia. This type of gelled water mainly comes in a dry version, which must be hydrated beforehand, or there are also those that are already ready to be incorporated into the substrate. Keep in mind that if the plants are outdoors, it will evaporate much faster.
And finally, the most effective system, especially on balconies or terraces, and, as is often the case, the most expensive: drip irrigation. “A system in which the water circulates at low pressure until it reaches the drippers—those responsible for emitting the water onto each plant—where the water is discharged drop by drop onto the plants,” explains Leroy Merlín, who have with self-watering kits, especially designed for novices as they include the necessary elements such as drippers, pipes, links or pressure reducers. “It is assembled like a Meccano and it is not necessary to have any type of knowledge or use glue or joining tape: the joints are made using links or emitters that are placed under pressure,” they say.
Although, if you are willing to invest in a drip system, a recommendation is to have a programmer that allows for more efficient use of water, also optimizing irrigation schedules—in summer, always better first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. , to avoid rapid evaporation—and that will also serve for the rest of the year.
Tricks to make life easier for plants in summer
Beyond irrigation systems, there are also some methods that will allow the plants to feel a little better and increase their survival rate. One of them is the mulching, which is to cover the earth so that it conserves humidity, reducing water evaporation. Materials such as pine bark, wood chips or decorative stones can be used.
Another trick is to group them so that the perspiration of some helps the others. “They generate a microclimate in which they increase humidity and, consequently, favor each other,” explains Brouhon. And obviously it is important not to leave them in full sun because they would end up burning. “It is advisable to put them all together near a window with a curtain or filtered light as much as possible,” adds the founder of Pur Plant.
And what to do if it’s already too late? If upon our return the plants have succumbed to the heat and lack of irrigation? Well, here is one of the phrases most used by anyone who understands a little about gardening: it is easier to recover a plant from drought than from excess water. So there is hope. Brouhon recommends a good immersion irrigation, that is, placing the root ball or pot in a container with plenty of water—at least up to half of the pot—and letting it absorb what it needs, for example during the night. Navarro, for his part, advises using a root strengthener and a universal fertilizer to help the plant recover more quickly.