How to prepare plants when leaving for vacation

Hi, I live in NYC, and I have plants that I have in small greenhouse. Lots of cats in the area. I have strawberry plants, snowpeas, lobelias, basil, and chives. Most of them in the seedling stage. We're planning to go away for 10 days. I have no one to water them. What can I do to prepare them, so they won't all be dying of thirst while I'm gone? BTW, the vacation will be in September not in the heat of the summer.

I think you're going to have to find a way to water them, either set up some sprinklers or drippers on a timer, or see if you can find someone who will water them. Even if the weather's not that hot, it'll be warmer inside the greenhouse and I can't imagine them getting by without water for 10 days.

I can only imagine by September, most of your plants will heve either fruited, flowered or been picked, so a lot of the energy they have used up will have reduced the need for so much water by a bit, however, without water for 10 days, is a lot to ask any plant inside a greenhouse, the extremities of pos hot and cooler evenings, will not help, do you have them in pots or are they in your greenhouse border where there is a lot more soil, these answers would help a bit. I have a large greenhouse with roof vents, side windows and a door, but I dont have deep borders, so my plants are all in pots, so I can help you slightly how I manage being away for short spells, I leave all the roof vents wide open day and night, leave the door open but have a wire cage that has been made to stay in place while the door is FIXED open, Place all my pots onto large trays (no holes) to which I add about 2 inch layer of grave for the pots to rest on and keep them from sitting in water, this allows the humidity to rise and prevent the leaves from scorching, I also shade the glass all around the sides, this is either news paper, old cardboard boxes or you can get paint on whitewash from garden center (you paint it on the outside glass, to remove it, you need soap and water so the rain wont remove it) I have a household fAn that I set on a timer switch that will run for the hottest parts of the day to keep air circulating at these times, I then fill up the trays with water as I give my last watering before I set off, and fill the trays to the top of the gravel, believe me, on my return, most of the roots by then have gone down into the gravel to search out water, as this is what plants do natural anyway, in your case, as you plan to be away more that 7 days, I would try make or buy, a drip feed system and test it out long before you go, maybe a week or two would give you an idea as to how to set the drippers, to make a drip system yourself, if you can imagine a drip system you see in a hospital setting, then you really can make this yourself by useing large, old empty juice cartons, thin hose lines and a nozzle from a wine making kit etc, you just have to secure the juice cartons safely up higher than the plants are,on a shelf/ hook etc, the main things to worry about more than anything, is plenty shade, less heat and too dry atmophere, these are the things that will do more harm than anything else, in September, the evenings will still be warm enough to safely leave all vents open and the plants mature enough to withstand a bit of cool evening air, you should be getting them accustom to this before you set off, now after all this info, I would ask lastly, could you sit your plants outside in a shaded area, on trays as I said before and then at least it would be easier for you, and the plants, hope this helps you to try some things before you leave, good luck, WeeNel.

Hi ecrane3, yes I believe you are right that I need to have the plants watered one way another because of the length of time. Thanks for your response.

WeeNel, Wow! I never expected such an extensive, helpful answer to my question. Judging from the simplicity of my question and your lengthy answer, I guess I didn't give enough thought to the problem.

Yes, the plants are in pots and my greenhouse is itty bitty (not more than 4' x 4' x 4') compared to your greenhouse with accoutrements such as a cooling fan on a timer. I plan to go out and buy some high aluminum pans to hold water and plant pots, but I am not sure what the gravel is for -- sorry if this is obvious, I'm pretty new at this.

I will look into some sort of slow drip system, but I think like you said it is important to find a shady location -- to prevent the least amount of evaporation.

Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and expertise, and my little plants thank you too! :) rfirestone

Hi rfirestone, WeeNel again, the gravel was to sit the pots on within the trays, this helps when you give a load of water before you leave, stops the plants sitting in a pool of water as it drains into the gravel,pots sit on top of the gravel and not into the extra water, then over a period of time, without someone to water the pots, the plants normally send the fine water seeking roots DOWN, so into the gravel where some extra water is sitting, hope this clears things up for you, Have a great vacation, I am sure with shade, the plants will be OK, just need a good drink on your return, good luck, WeeNel.