Chillie conundrum

[#1]

A chillie conundrum.

Started off from seed indoors earlier this year and now settled, happy and growing well in the greenhouse, my Carolina Reaper plant get a small watering each day - but the problem is we are going away for a few days next week and these little guys now coming into flower might need looking after.

Mrs Minivaman suggested taking them out of the greenhouse and leaving them out in the garden to catch any rain we might have while we are away, but they are quite heavy in that growbag and more than liable to get damaged - including my aching back. I suppose we could ask a neighbour but I'm never happy about leaving keys to the house, and I'm not going to fork out for some automatic watering system just for one plant. 

So what's the answer.... and then the solution came to me just as I was drifting off to sleep last night!

Anybody like to guess, I know you lot like puzzles. 

[#2]

Well you certainly know how to pick these hot topics.

Solutions.......

Bit late for this one but I would have stood the bag in either a tray or on some plastic sheeting with bricks or similar to keep the ends up, put holes in bottom of grow bag and water in the tray or plastic sheeting.

If you were going to be away for more than a week simply stand some bottles full of water upside down in the tray and once the water in the tray falls below the level of the neck of the bottles the water will come out and stop once it rises to the neck of the bottles.

Simple.....and costs nothing !

[#3]

Now that's an interesting solution, but not one I'd thought of and as you say a bit late for this year. 

D'oh! 

[#4]

I had a similar problem several years ago with tomatoes and cape gooseberries in pots/buckets. As I had paved the small greenhouse floor I just put the pots out of their saucers directly on the floor. Then stuck my garden hose in the door and turned it on little more than a fast drip. After being on overnight the water depth stabilised around an inch deep.

Worked fine when I left it for a couple of weeks. Of course for a larger greenhouse with an uneven or porous floor it probably wouldn't work.

[#5]

Take them with you.  It's the only way to be sure.

[#6]

Assume you have a outdoor tap.....

Also assume you have a hose pipe...

Lay end of hose pipe across top of bag and mark where each plant touches hose.....

Get a small nail and puncture hose in places you have marked....

Turn tap on slowly and adjust pressure until you see small drops of water coming from holes....

Get a bucket and leave this to drip for 12 - 24 hours to give indication of amount of water coming out....adjust tap/ holes as necessary.

Yes you will lose a small length of hose once you have finished but doubt this would be more than a few feet.....and.....

you will only need to do it this year as you will be using my tip mentioned earlier in future years.

[#7]

Good ideas, and perhaps better than mine which was to take out the glass above.... and hope for rain. 

[#8]

Must admit my first thought was why on earth anyone would want to grow Carolina Reaper chilli, those things could kill a human at 10 paces and are far too hot to put anywhere near human tissue.......

[#9]