i'll be away on BSA camp for a week with new boy scouts soon. i have given some instruction to my 8 yr old son, i really don't want to stress him out too much. responsibility is good, but i want to have a back up plan.

so my 10 gal trees are on automatic drip thing so i have no worries. my 3 gal pot with my soil mix will hold enogh water to go 5-6 day and i'll water it before taking off.

but i'm worried about my 1 gal pots with new cuttings in them. right now with temp at high 70/low 80, they will last about 5 days without watering. but once the temp goes to mid/high 80 i believe they will need more watering. i'm going to keep them in shade, and water before taking off.

anything else that i can do to make sure the don't dry up and die?

pete

Bullett,

I'm sure your son will be able to handle the watering especially if mom can help remind him.  But...just to be on the safe side, place the pots in a shady, wind sheltered location to keep them from drying out too much.  Even if they only get watered once during the week that you are gone they should be fine.

$$$ Money, Candy or Video Games TALK!  Bribe him!  Kids are easily bribed!  You could make a daily check list for him, and have Mom sign off that he did it!

Enjoy your time away!
Suzi

Fill large, soda bottles with water and freeze them.  Every few days tell/remind your son to invert and jam the neck of the soda bottle....with the cap OFF...into the growing medium.  As the ice melts, your tree will be watered.....or, fill plastic bags with ice cubes, punch holes in the bag, and take out a bag, and place the ice-cube filled bags around the base of your tree....or, sink the containerized-tree into the surrounding soil, and then follow any of the methods written above, and in other postings.

He will do it.

Frank

Instead of Bribing him THREATEN to beat his little Butt if he refuses!

This is a great idea. Especially the 'call home to remind him' part - both before and after the task. :)  And offer a reward/allowance. Something nice to re-inforce good behavior.

Have fun with the scouts.

Gina has a good/great point!

figluva... 
I laughed my can off, when I read your suggestion.  Do that today, and the kid will bring Daddy-Dearest up on charges.

Frank

all great suggestions. i should give more credit to my boy and have him do his best.

pete

Hi Bullet,
what Cecil said in post #2 in my opinion is some darn good advice .  ; )

Thanks Martin

He will likely love helping his dad, my son just turned 7 and has been "helping" me for about 3 or 4 years. Of course those first couple years weren't really helpful, more like troublesome, but it laid the groundwork for him to really enjoy gardening and I enjoy my time with him in the garden. Ask Bass about that he has 2 4 year old twiins that are always helping dad.  

Bullet,

OK, I agree about the advice about asking your son.  But, I've been reading this thread too, because I'll have a similar watering issue coming up in about a month, and there won't be any son at home to turn to.  Unfortunately the neighbor (a helpful guy) is moving away in 2 weeks.  Nobody close by to turn to... so... anyone out there have advice on an automated way that would work for this small of a pot?  (Or any pointers to threads with ideas that work for larger size pots?  I'll put them all in larger pots before I go, if that'll help get them through the 2 weeks I'll be away).

Place the one gal pots in one of those kiddie pools it will act like a large tray catching the excess water the trees can wick it up as they need it..Place a hose on a timer with a brick to weigh it down allow the timer to run for a few minutes this will add more water to the pool every 3-4 days or what ever interval the timer is set for.

i know you probably dont like me bullet08 (im that guy) but try hooking up a weeping hose and adjust your hose pressure to your liking to leave it weeping the whole time your gone this will be your best and absolute fool proof way of continued water flow without flooding  they do not flow enough water to flood them but you can adjust that with pressure the pool thing is good to but i would preffer the weeping hose (timer might fail) i actually have one hooked up to my inground sprinklers on a zone and have the 30 ft hose wrapped in and out of the hedges evergreens on the side of my driveway works awsome just throwing that out there hope i could be of help 

Tony,

Don't know you enough to hate you... yet. If weeping hose is like soaker, that will provide too much water. Timer is a good idea, but way to deliver it is tricky. I don't mind my older trees on drip system and being bottom fed from over flow, but with cuttings in 1 gal pots, too much water will do more damage than running them dry for a day or two.

I'll have to thing about some. Like I said, I should give some credit to my 8 yr old and see what happens. Either way, it will be good experience for him.

Pete

P.S. Thanks for the suggestion all the same.

if all else fails, water the containers the night before.  let them drain overnight then put them in a plastic bag.  secure the bag (gently) around the trunks and put them in shade.  there should be enough moisture to last the week.

~james

James,

That's the best idea so far. Water night before. Tilt it to drain well. Put it in 1 gal ziplock bag and close loosely around the trunk. That should give some air and hopefully minimize possibility of mold on soil.

Pete

turn the hose down theres no chance of flooding dont get the solid black weeper hose i have one that the inside is actually  white plastic with like a sleeve over the outside doesnt weep that much on full pressure im sure if you turn the hose down pressure wise it would be just like a trickle 

actually i was doing a little more brainstorming you can do 2 methods that are suggested here mine the weeper hose and northeastnewbie with the timer??? u got your way to distribute the water and a way to shut it off 

came back from BSA summer camp today.. it's nice to be back home and back to civilization... and beer.

my 8 yr old took very good care of my fig trees. all the 1 gals have more than doubled in size it seems. they were in need of watering, but there were no sign of wilt. so i watered and then fertilized them.

my cuttings in the bins are doing well. some of the new cuttings from 10 days ago are breaking buds and putting out leave.

i got some little gifts for my son... he likes the bear claw best (replica not the real thing). he's older brother saved his .22 casing for his little brother and he seems to love that too.

my wife told me that he took care of the figs very well. picking up each pot to see if they needed water and so on. and he showed me his green thumb :)

the BSA summer camp was great. it was at camp ottari in VA. cool night and warm afternoon. i stressed my knee on 3rd day and was on walking stick for 4 days and finished my bottle of motrin and my son's children's tylenol. was walking about 10 miles a day and keep going up and down rather steep hill all day long. i need to get back in shape if i'm going to take my 11 yr old to camping coming fall.

it had very thing any 11 yr old will ever want and more.. and no tv and no video games. rifle shooting, fishing, swimming, archery.. you name it.. they had it. great to see so many boys away from their tv and doing outdoor activities.

pete

Amen!

Happy Father's Day, Pete. Sounds like you're doing a good job.