Keep them fresh and green

WHEN a family goes on vacation, maintaining the plants becomes a problem. Asking a neighbour to water the plants or temporarily entrusting them with an understanding friend is one solution. A practical way to keep the plants fresh is by making use of self watering pots.

These pots are available in different sizes and are generally made of PVC. A large pot holds the manure and below it is a saucer-like pan or reservoir. When the two parts are kept in position, the pot on the reservoir - the reservoir can be filled with water through a tube that is fitted in the large pot. Fine holes on a tube under the large pot help the water in the reservoir to rise slowly and wet the contents of the large pot and also allow water inside to drain into the reservoir.

First, put in some gritty sand in the large pot and then fill it with the growing medium. A leafmould based medium is preferable as it can retain water better than loamy soils.

Place the pot on the reservoir and after watering the soil, plant seeds of annuals, annual seedlings or small shrubby plants in the large pot. Fill the reservoir through the tube. Wait a while and when no more water spills over the reservoir, place the self watering pot where you want it.

Check the water level in the reservoir and when you find it has gone down, fill it again. Carefully filling the reservoir and watering the soil in the pot prevents overflow and will keep the surroundings clean. It should be noted that excess water in the large pot will also flow down and fill the reservoir.Once adjusted, the self watering pots can provide water for the plants for about five or six days in summer and a few more days in the cooler months.

O. T. RAVINDRAN

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