Some plants need more attention than others. If left uncared for for an extended period, certain plants may suffer and eventually perish. There will be instances when people will be out of their homes for days and weeks for vacation, so it is quite convenient that there are automatic watering systems that plant owners can improvise.
One technique involves using a lantern wick. These may be bought from the hardware store, but if a plant owner is in a hurry, they can also try using shoelaces as a wick instead.
The system works by connecting a bucket of water to the soil in the pot through the wick so that the plant is continuously fed with water at an even pace.
To accomplish this, use a bucket or container of water that is bigger or with a rim that is taller than the pot of a plant.
Make sure the lantern wick is long enough that it reaches the bottom of the water container. Have the other end of the wick submerged in the soil. Plant owners can puncture the soil with a needle, chopstick, or any pointy tool so it is easier for the wick to penetrate.
Be mindful of plants with sensitive roots. Plant owners would not want to damage the roots as they poke the soil with pointy objects.
Plant owners may experiment with how many wicks to connect to the pot but the bigger the pot, the more wicks they have to connect.
Several plants can take advantage of this setup by using the same water container to water several plants, with one wick per plant. With this setup, plant owners can enjoy their vacation without needing to worry about their plants.