When I was a lad, still living at home, and just into gardening, I once managed to keep my tomatoes watered whilst on holiday for two weeks by using an old beer making barrel, and three pair of my mums tights. The tights had one leg in the water with other end wrapped around tomato plant. All my friendly neighbour had to do was come in and top up the barrel with water and tomato feed. Best tomatoes we had. My mum complained about her missing tights for weeks.
