New Clones And Seedlings On Vacation!

[lawyercaregiver]

I know this has been covered but any suggestions for keeping new unrooted clones and seedlings alive for a few days while away on vacation?

 

I have the self watering planters for the big plants (the things that you fill with water and stick into the soil) but the little itty babies are real problem. They are in peat moss starter soil in cups under florescent light and the self-watering things are way to large for the cups.

 

I will be gone for 3 days.

 

Any thoughts/suggestions/advice is very much appreciated.

[ricardomd]

You might have to remove the bottoms but if you put them on something that will wick up into your cups you can put all in a much larger container with plenty of water in the container for the length of your trip. For extended times you can put a pump into a larger tote and put the pump on a timer so as to refill the smaller one once a day. you will need a timer that will do 1 minute or so to not overfill your seedling container. This will ensure a wet seed starter but hopefully not a soaked seed starter. Ricardo

[lawyercaregiver]

So here is what I did and will report on the success (crosses fingers)on Monday

The "wick" comment inspired me.

 

First I took the cups containing the clones/seedlings and poked holes from the top through the bottom with a pencil. Then I stretched out a cotton ball into an 8 inch string and poked the string through the top of the cups all the way to the bottom using a pencil.

 

Then I put them all in a large tuppaware container with some dirt and filled it up about 2 inches with water and put the whole container under florescent. I had to weight down a couple of the cups because they floated.

 

I will add some air stones to the reservoir.

[lawyercaregiver]

It worked- mostly. The water was completely gone and one of the clones was stressed but all the little girls made it to grow for another day.

[budpuffer]

i'm glad for your babies and you,,..zb

[shishka]

For future ease. Burpee makes a wick based seed starter. Comes with tray and dome. Standard 10x20. The mat(wick) is about 10x24 so the two ends drape over the ends of a riser and into the the tray which can be filled with a couple inches of water. About twenty bucks at home depot. Works great for cloning as it keeps soil or rapid rooters perfectly moist. Idiot proof.

[TajMahal]

For future ease. Burpee makes a wick based seed starter. Comes with tray and dome. Standard 10x20. The mat(wick) is about 10x24 so the two ends drape over the ends of a riser and into the the tray which can be filled with a couple inches of water. About twenty bucks at home depot. Works great for cloning as it keeps soil or rapid rooters perfectly moist. Idiot proof.