Some houseplants need watering more often during the winter
because indoor air is
drier than during the summer. But if you’re gone for several
days on a winter holiday
trip, how can you avoid coming home to wilted plants?

One way is to lug all of the plants to your bathroom,
arrange them on towels in your
tub, water them thoroughly and then pull the door closed
when you leave. The drawback is
that this is a dirty, time-consuming, back-breaking
chore.

Why not try a method that lets your plants water
themselves while you’re gone? All you
need is some polyester knitting yarn, a No. 8 crochet hook,
a waterproof saucer for each
pot and a handful of small pebbles.

In brief, insert the yarn into the bottom of each pot,
which is supported over water in
the saucer. Polyester yarn wicks water up into the soil
automatically as it dries out.

The first step is to cut a length of yarn for each pot.
Measure a piece that’s twice as
long as the pot height. A 6-inch-tall pot needs a piece of
yarn 12 inches long.

Turn the pot on its side and push the No. 8 crochet
needle up through one of the holes
in the bottom. Slowly press it through the soil until the
hooked end emerges from the
surface.

Hook the center of the piece of yarn and pull it back
through the soil. Bring the yarn
only 1 inch through the bottom of the pot. Allow it to hang
free.

Place three or four pebbles in the bottom of your
waterproof saucer and set the pot
onto them. Check to make sure the yarn dangles freely from
the pot bottom.

Fill the saucer with water just to the level of the pot
bottom. The yarn hanging in the
water will wick moisture into the soil as it becomes dry.

Large potted plants may need two or three yarn wicks per
pot. Insert each as above.

Now you can leave your favorite houseplants unattended
for several days! All you have
to remember is to fill each saucer with water before you
leave.