Before I heard about self-watering pots, I needed to be gone for a few days one summer. I put my containers in a kiddy pool with about 4" of water in it. Sort of like a huge saucer for the pots. It worked great. The tomatoes and squash thrived that week.

Gardener's Supply has self-watering reservoirs you can put in any pot - obviously not a great solution for containers that have already been filled and planted. I've bought some this year and so far, so good.

For vacation watering, there are a variety of solutions if you Google around consisting of a piece of "wicking" fabric with one end stuck in a bucket of water and the other buried in your plant. I've not used them - I prefer drafting a neighbor.

Mark

Here is a link that might be useful: One solution

Thanks..

Can I get the 'self-watering reservoirs ' from any Wm,lowes ,HD etc?

My WM had a few of the self-watering reservoirs the other day.

Here's an article about creating self watering pots using 5 gal. buckets.

Here is a link that might be useful: DIY self-watering Containers

Here's a link to a photo of the above mentioned self-water cont.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photo of DIY self-watering Containers

Quote"My WM had a few of the self-watering reservoirs the other day."

Are you talking about self-watering reservoirs that I can IMMERSE in a pot [or ]Are you talking about self-watering pots?

I saw the ones at Gardener's. What I'd like to do is turn kitty litter pails into self-watering pots. The big pails look like they'd make excellent containers, and I'd rather reuse them than throw them away, but I can't find any of the self-watering things for square pots, just the ones at Gardener's for round pots.

Yes, I could poke holes in the bottom, but I'd rather not, and I wanted to do the self-watering set-up if I could.

I take a gallon can from food, punch some holes in the bottom with a nail, put the lid I removed to open the can over the holes, then fill a plastic bag with water and put it in the can. I have never found a plastic bag that would not leak, but if you do, poke a hole or 2 near the bottom of the bag with a pin so it will leak slowly. If your plants are in large pots like mine are (cut-off plastic barrels, usually), there is room to put one of these in the barrel. It will water your plants for almost a week if the pinholes really are pinholes.. If you want to decrease the amount of water your plants will need, such as during really hot weather, make some kind of simple shade over them before you put the self-waterers to work.