So you're going on vacation and can't find anyone to water your container plants. What are you going to do? Here's one easy method to try: wicking water.

Choosing to wick water is kind of like building your own self-watering pot and works best on smaller containers, especially houseplants. Go to a hardware store and buy some long wicks used for tiki torches (for really small pots, you can use thick cotton string). Wet the wick and use a pencil to push it a few inches into the wet rootball of the plant. Stick the other end in a bowl or glass of water. As the rootball dries, it sucks water from the bowl through the wick, keeping it wet.

Don't try this method for the first time on the day you're leaving. Set it up a week in advance, to make sure it works, and to see how much of a water reservoir you need. If you use a big bucket to hold the water, you can water several plants at once.