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When the God of water fails us – use your experiences
It can be done as simple as that
Photo: Grøn Kommunikation
Right now, growth is booming, and we all enjoy watching and caring for our plants but when summer comes, or rather the summer holiday, we must face a problem.
Plants need to be snipped and cared for, and they cannot tolerate being neglected for 3-4 weeks in the holiday. They cannot tolerate not being watered or fertilized, and even though a greenhouse brings pleasure, it is difficult to find someone else to water the plants. The result of all the hard work you have put into the plants will end up in chaos. The tomatoes you were looking forward to are dying and so are the cucumbers.
There are three systems on the market. One is capillary boxes. Best case, they can manage irrigation in one week, but if it’s hot maybe less. And then what do you do if you are gone for 3-4 weeks?
They work for 1 week, but what do you do if you are gone for 3?
Photo: Grøn Kommunikation
Hoses in the greenhouse
Then there are drip hoses. If you try Googling the three systems, you can read about people who have had troubles making them work. Some companies are criticised for having a poor thermal valve, which turns down the water instead of up, in warm weather. Many have problems assembling the systems correctly. It also needs to be said, that many probably don’t have any problems, but those stories are just not shared.
Drip hose
Photo: Juliana
Set the time
The last option is a water timer. With this, you can set the drip hose system to water two to three times a day. I will test it myself for a couple of weeks.
Maybe a water timer will work, when nothing else does.
Photo: Grøn Kommunikation

Om Lars Lund
Lars Lund
Danish horticulturist and journalist
Lars Lund has for many years engaged in the garden and greenhouse. Lars has published many books about greenhouses, and he has participated in many Danish horticultural TV shows. He is a walking garden encyclopaedia, and he has answers for most basic cultivation questions – also the more ambitious ones.