IRRIGATION / PRACTICAL GUIDES
Holiday Watering System Checklist: Before You Go Away
By James Thompson
Some links in my articles are affiliate links. I may earn a commission when you buy through them.
A holiday watering system needs a successful trial before you rely on it. Check the programmed cycle, the water reaching each container and the amount of usable water available. A controller switching on is only one part of the job.
For houseplants without a tap, compare our indoor holiday watering options before choosing a reservoir or power supply.
The practical answer
Run the complete holiday setup for several normal cycles before departure, then check every container and confirm the available water volume. A controller turning on is not proof that the final pot receives enough water.
Useful product route: Hozelock 20-pot drip-watering kit or Hozelock Sensor Controller Plus
Test several days before leaving
Set up early enough to observe the plants after multiple cycles. Run the arrangement in its intended positions, with the normal water source and the actual controller settings. Installing it on departure morning leaves little time to discover a dry branch or an unsuitable schedule.
Check the growing medium rather than relying only on the appearance of leaves. Different plants and containers can need different quantities; Hozelock’s holiday-kit guidance highlights that watering requirements depend on conditions and plant type.
Watch a scheduled cycle
A manual test checks that water can pass through. A scheduled test also checks that the chosen programme starts and stops when expected. Confirm the operating mode, duration, frequency and any pause or rain setting. For light-based equipment, make sure the installation location suits the control method.
Check batteries or the power arrangement according to the instructions. Record the settings so a helper can identify accidental changes. See our watering timer guide if the controller’s behaviour is unfamiliar.
For Hozelock 100-101-033, the Solar Select setup guide covers START TIME, retained schedules and the anti-siphon check after the pump stops.
Walk the entire layout while it runs
- Inspect every container or planted section.
- Check that outlets have not slipped outside pots.
- Look for leaks at the inlet and branch connections.
- Inspect the farthest and highest watering points.
- Check for kinks and pipes likely to be caught by doors or wheels.
- Confirm that the system stops without leaving an unintended continuous flow.
Correct local faults rather than increasing the runtime for every outlet. Our troubleshooting guide helps separate inlet, branch and emitter problems.
For reservoirs, calculate usable capacity
Estimate daily use and compare it with water the intake can actually draw. Include a reserve. A reservoir lasting a week in mild conditions may be insufficient for a different schedule or hotter conditions.
The water-use calculation guide shows the arithmetic. Test a water-butt arrangement at a lower level, and do not treat hoped-for rainfall as guaranteed supply.
Four checks before departure
The empty boxes are reminders, not confirmation that your system has passed these checks.
Leave a simple backup plan
If someone can check the plants, give them the location of the shut-off, a photograph of normal settings and instructions for what to do if a pot is dry or a fitting leaks. Make clear which plants require particular attention.
The RHS notes that holiday watering methods can fail through insufficient reservoirs, displaced connections or an overestimate of plant needs. Those risks support a practical backup check rather than a claim that any kit is completely unattended or fail-safe.
Avoid major layout changes just before departure. If you add pots, move the inlet or replace emitters, repeat the full trial before relying on the revised system.
Product examples on Amazon
Compare these examples with your chosen manufacturer’s specifications before ordering. These are individual product examples, not a confirmed compatible bundle.
Hozelock 20-pot drip watering kit — view on Amazon
Compare kit contents with your intended layout.Hozelock Sensor Controller Plus — view on Amazon
Check the tap connection and whether light-based control suits your location.Hozelock in-line pressure-compensating drippers — view on Amazon
Check the connection size, flow and operating pressure.
Explore all irrigation guides →