A friend got us a beautiful plant as a housewarming gift and include an Aqua Globe www.buyaquaglobes.com. It is a really pretty blue glass globe, and it really does keep the plant watered. I usually add new water to it every two weeks. The plant we have with the globe in it is much happier when we come back from a trip than the other ones.

Besides hiring a "plant sitter," open up a disposable diaper and take out some of the "absorbing material" and add to your planter and water before you leave. The material keeps your plant moist for about 5 days!
Shirley Bovshow
Garden Designer

In the November issue on page 76 you suggested using the bathtub to water indoor plants when away. The enamel on my tub was permanently ruined when I did this!!

This is a suggestion on how to keep your houseplants watered while you are away on vacaion. I do this whenever I travel and it's never failed me yet. My plants are always as healthy when I get home as they were when I left. It's a 3-step system, but very easy. 1. I take long strings of candle wicking (can be bought at any craft store) and poke one end as far down into the dirt as I can. Depending on the size of the pot, I use one for a 4-6" pot, two for an 8-10", three for a 12-14", and so on. But I poke the wick down as far as I can using a pencil or popsicle stick or whatever, then I pack the dirt around the wick again. 2. I place all my plants in the bath tub and fill it with enough water to come about 1/4 way up the pots with the other end of the wick floating in the water. This will keep them all watered good. If the water evaporates down below where the tray under the pots will allow the water in, the wick draws the water up like a sponge and delivers it to the plant as needed. I've gone away for up to 3 weeks this way and never had a problem. Also never had to depend on neighbors to come into my home when I'm not there. Step #3, takes care of the lighting. If your bathroom doesn't have windows, (this step isn't needed if you have good light comiing in the windows) set up a lamp with a timer on it. Set the timer to come on in the morning and off at night. Then put a plant light bulb in the lamp. This way your plants won't be starved for light either while you're gone.
Good luck!

When we go to our cabin,sometimes weeks at a time,we water them thoroughly and then fill a sixteen ounce plastic bottle,and put it upside down,in the plant and when the plant needs water it gradually waters it's self. It will last for weeks, depending on the temperature and the humidity in your home. We have done it several times and find it foolproof. Our plants always look beautiful when we arrive home. We have also left them hanging and it works just as well.