If you have to leave for several days and nobody can come to water your plants during your vacation, know that there is a way to save your green plants from dehydration and drying out. We will explain what watering gel is and how you can make it yourself.
The watering gel comes in the form of transparent gel cubes that are actually gelled water.
It is placed in the pot of green plants to hydrate them when we are not there, especially during vacations. Indeed, this gel disintegrates over the days, releasing water at the base of indoor plants.
This trick ensures watering of plants during vacations for a maximum duration of 30 days. It allows us to leave with peace of mind when we have to leave our plants without care for 15 days or even 3 weeks!
If you are worried that your green plants will suffer from thirst every time you go on vacation, you probably already know that there are several tricks to help plants resist dehydration.
When you can't find neighbors or relatives to come and water your indoor plants, you can:
• install a drip irrigation system
• use oyas
• place a bottle filled with water upside down in the soil
• put a watering gel at the base of the plants that will release water as it gradually disintegrates.
Water gel is gaining more and more followers among plant lovers for its many advantages.
This watering method is interesting because:
• it is rather easy to implement
• it allows to provide water to green plants in a gradual and constant way for about a month
• it is ecological and safe for plants
• it is cheaper than oyas or drip systems
• it is inexpensive, especially if you make the gel yourself.
You can easily find watering gel for plants in gardening stores and on e-commerce websites dedicated to gardening and DIY. This gel is not very expensive (less than €4 for 400ml), but it is even more economical to make it yourself.
The method of making this gel water is very simple. You only need two ingredients: water and a natural gelling agent called agar-agar.
Agar-agar is a seaweed often used in cooking as a replacement for pork gelatin to set certain preparations and make vegan desserts like panna cotta and custard...
Depending on the requirements of your plants, you will need to use tap water or non-hard water such as rainwater, for example.
Here is the homemade watering gel recipe:
1- In a large saucepan, pour 375ml of water with 2g of agar-agar.
2- Bring this mixture to a boil while stirring to ensure that the agar-agar powder dissolves well in the liquid.
3- Boil for 30 seconds.
4- Pour this mixture into muffin molds or an ice cube tray to obtain several small blocks or cubes of gel.
5- Let it cool to room temperature before placing the molds in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
6- Your gel is ready to be used when it is well set and has the consistency of jelly.
You can also prepare a large block of gel in a simple rectangular dish and cut it into cubes after refrigerating.
Once your homemade watering gel has set, you can place it at the base of your plants.
It is recommended to water the plant before placing the gel on the soil, as close to the stems as possible.
As for the amount of gelled water to prepare, it depends on the ambient temperature, the size of the plant to be watered, and the duration of your vacation.
This watering method is effective, provided that enough gel is prepared, especially in summer when a possible heatwave is to be feared.
If you are unsure about the dosage, remember that it is better to put a little too much jelly at the base of a plant than not enough! This way, your little ones will not lack water in your absence.
Note: Do not worry if you find a thin white film at the base of your plants upon your return. It is simply a residue of agar-agar. Remove this film before watering the plant again.
Author Audrey on 15 September 2010
Home and Garden : Garden
Author Audrey on 02 June 2022
Home and Garden : Garden