PROBLEM:Outdoor garden & will be gone for a week!

I finally bought some good seeds this year, and planned a great garden this year only to find out we have an out of state wedding to go to in late May.... One, we are unable to miss, as it is my brother's daughter...So, my dilemma is how to water the plants while I'm gone.
Here's what we have:
We'll have approximately 20 plants in 20 gallon (I think) containers. The grow area is far enough away that we have several hoses connected to get out there, but can leave them on to drip, if we can find a way. We live in a very warm climate and can't count on any rain. We normally have to water every other day, or they will wilt.

Without spending a fortune, if we can find a way, I'd sure still like to have that garden. I need to find a way to water them for the week we're gone...and, no , there is no way to get anyone to water them... . I need to get the seeds germinated within about a week or so, ......Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks!

You can get watering timers that attach to outdoor hoses, Google is your friend!

Yep battery powered outdoor watering timers. Hooked up betweet hose connections

Look at Rainbird, amazon has them. I wont clutter with links unless you cant find them. You can buy a kit, build your own or buy a kit and add-on. Build your own would be get a water timer, pressure reducer, . Put like 4-5 emitters around each plant. Can put a full system for under $150 easy.
Hose (always on)->Timer->Pressure reducer->3/4" -1/4" compression adapter->1/4" tubing to first plant->T-junction. The T-junction allows you to split the line into two. You can keep splitting. At the end of any T you can add a few inches of hose and then an emitter. Helps to draw the water system out on paper and then order extras pieces. Pretty cheap for parts. Can be a trip-factor if the tubing is all over the floor. I use a bicycle cable cutter because it encircles the tubing and makes a nice clean cut. You can T off from the tubing and make a ring of emitters around the base of the plant. Get the better pressure compensating (50 count)1/2 gallon per/hour emitters, (50count)T-junctions and 1/4"-100' hose. Soak the tubing ends in hot water and the T's and emitters will slip on easily.

You may also be interested in solar vents. They will open and close windows with the changing temperatures. You mount them to a widnow and the look like a car hatchback piston filled with a temperature reactive fluid. Fully closed at 50 degrees. as it warms up the fluid expands and is fully opens at 70 degrees. A warm sunny day in May can be deadly inside a closed up greenhouse.

Thanks for the suggestions. It sounds do-able....It is OUTDOORS, not inside, so we don't need to worry about the hot greenhouse anyway. I'll look up the kit and see if it can be used outdoors, and go from there. I guess if I put the containers close together (we had them in a larger circle last time; about a 15' diamater with 6 plants in the end), but we can put them together no problem. that will make it easier to water with something like this.

thanks! I was beginning to think I wasn't going to get to have my garden this year!

Sorry about the random greenhouse tangent. I would keep the spacing if it is good for the plants and get the extra 100' of hose for less than $10. 20 plants in 20 gal pots. I would go 4-5 emitters each plant = 100 emitters. That will soak the rootball more evenly than one emitter. I would set it up soon and run it so you can adjust it for coverage and check for leaks. The extra t's, emitters, and hosev is cheap. Keep spare emitters and parts around. Once it is set-up you can cut and slice into however you need. Pretty flexible setup. I run one for veg and one for flower. Set to run at different times so there is no chance of pressure drop.

Sounds good. We're already getting ready to make the order. I'm glad I read the part about the number of emitters. I want there to be enough water! We'll be starting them early, and maybe even use them to water daily anyway! It will save going out there every other day to water each plant individually. We can now just go out to check on them, prune when needed, etc ... I'm looking forward to it.
It gets hot so early here, that I've had to water before 8:30am in the summer, or I wilt before the plants do! So, this will benefit in more ways than just the trip. It's getting exciting rather than worrysome!

It is nice to get demoted to "back-up watering assistant". Better to do smaller frequent waterings than one long one.