After 10 Days of Not Being Watered, This is What my Garden Looks Like

I was out of town for 10-days around Thanksgiving and filled up the the self-watering containers on my balcony garden the morning that I left.

When I came home you would never know that I wasn’t there to water and take care of them. Just check out the pic above and watch the video below.

This is partly due to how the self-watering containers work and how the plants absorb the water from the reservoir container.

When I explain to people how to build a self watering container, one of the first questions that’s usually asked is, “How often do you water it?”

They will say that they are too busy to water their garden everyday or travel too much. This just shows that you don’t have to dedicate a crazy amount of time.

There are many factors that determine how often you need to water them – such as weather, direct sunlight and type of plant. Generally, I change out the water in the reservoirs once a week.

This time I went away for 10 days, but I have gone away for 3 weeks and they’ve been fine. Anything past that and it starts to get iffy.

Share this post with those that tell you they don’t have the time to water a garden or travel too much.

Tris December 6, 2011 at 6:23 am -

Welcome back, Mike! We missed you! How is the paint on your containers holding up? I’d like to make a few of the self watering containers but I also (vain me) am picky about how my containers look. I’ve brought in several of my plants for the winter…zone 4…and one of the best parts of my day is actually spent inspecting and watering those babies. The self watering jobs would be great in the summer for ‘maters, beans and cukes and all of those thirsty plants!
Mike Lieberman December 6, 2011 at 9:41 am -

Thanks. The paint is holding up well. I might sand them down a bit in the future so they grab the paint better. Keep me updated.
Vicki Schoenwald December 7, 2011 at 9:13 am -

Welcome back Mike. Hope you had a restful, wonderful Holiday.
Containers look pretty darn good to me, wish I could but zone 5 is a little cold at the moment, -6* F yesterday.
I will start my cold tent containers in February, with cold tolerant greens and lettuces. If is get below zero cold, I have old comforters and I cover them and they survive very well.
Have a great week.
Mike Lieberman December 7, 2011 at 4:43 pm -

-6?!?! All I can say is — hahahahha. Stay warm 😉
Caro March 19, 2012 at 9:25 am -

This IS AMAZING!!! I have been wondering the last past weeks, how to plant all the herbs and vegetables I would love to plant on my balcony and then be gone for a week or more, cause of work and travelling….yeah…now i know. This is awesome. LOVE IT! Saw your interview Phil did. Glad that he put you on it!!!!
Mike Lieberman March 19, 2012 at 1:43 pm -

Nice. Glad to connect!
JessJN April 4, 2012 at 11:57 am -

I’m starting to wish I hadn’t spent money on pretty clay pots!
Mike Lieberman April 4, 2012 at 6:24 pm -

Hahaha. All good. You got em, so use em.
Lacey S Ross May 9, 2012 at 8:22 am -

I just want to say how tickled I was to find your site. My husband and I love to grow our own veggies and herbs, we love to dig around in the garden like worms our daughter says. We are always getting strange looks from our family and friends and even strangers at the green house because we do not look like the gardening type! Tattoos cover both of us, gauged out ears on my husband, and we are both fairly young. I think most people have a common misconception in the U.S that only old people like to garden, NOT true. Heck my husband used to even work in a green house. We love that you are a younger person like us…also your tips for using whats laying around are the best. My grandma has been gardening all my life and when I told her about the soda bottle she just thought it was the neatest thing ever. Thanks
Mike Lieberman May 9, 2012 at 10:52 am -

Glad to connect!