Actually, the method I read included string, but was only recommended for when we go away for a couple of days.

How far is her sink from her balcony? I don't remember where now, but I think possibly Carol Wright or Dr. Leonard catalogs, they have these thin hoses with a spraying nozzle that goes from the sink to plants. Of course, the picture shows someone watering indoor plants, but they aren't in the kitchen, so it must be fairly long.

Also, I'm not sure if you mean your Mom can never water, or can't water very often, but there are self-watering containers, which also require a special soil mix to absorb the water below. Depending on the size, they can be kind of expensive, but they hold a quart to several gallons of water (again depending on size.) That way, the plants only need to be watered every few days to once a week, depending on the temperature. (Link to one place that sells them is below, although I keep hoping to find less expensive ones someday elsewhere.)

Now if watering is pretty much out for her most of the time and rain hits her balcony, remember there are two kinds of plants that she can still grow, so she just might have to change her selection of plants. Cactus and succulents don't need water too often, and don't need a whole lot of water when they do need watering. They do need fast draining soil, but you can buy the mix for them at Home DePot and Lowes. (If she keeps her plants outside all year round, there are some that grow even up in zone 3, like the Prickly Pear cactus. Although it's an annual, I've just discovered an herb that most folks consider a weed - purslane! It, not only doesn't like a lot of water, but has very pretty flowers in the morning, is quite yummy, and good for you anyway. LOL) And, if she considers native plants (native to her area), unless she has a drought, they don't need watering even half as much as other container plants.

It might be overused in the disabled community, but, if it helps your Mom, "disabled is really differently abled." We may not be able to do what we used to do easily anymore, but that usually means we have to find different ways to do things! Giving up is only recommended after all other options have been eliminated (or when it comes to chores?! LOL)

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardener Supply Company

I own that thing Valentinebear was talking abut----it's a 40 foot hose that goes from the kitchen faucet to anywhere in the house you want. The problem is I have difficulties with my hands as well, and each time you want to use it you have to screw off the cover on the faucet, then screw on the connetion for the hose. If you can find some easy way to do that you'd be OK, but personally I couldn't find a solution----this made the product kind of useless for me. If your mom has good hands she might like it though. It's called "Walk N' Water Indoor Coil Hose"

Here is a link that might be useful: Walk-n-Water from Yardiac

This method or something like it might work for you:

Because it is hard for me to carry anything that weighs over a pound, I keep a large bucket filled with water near plants that I water with a watering can. I scoop water from the bucket into the watering can using a plastic cup and water a little bit at a time. That way I never have to carry anything substantial. I don't know how much water she'll need for her plants, but it's possible if you filled up a 5-gallon bucket for her once a week and set it up in a way that it was accessible (on a little table or something) and easy for her to scoop small amounts of water out of it, she could water her plants this way.

Okay, they aren't that attractive ... I have used watering spikes when I have gone away for awhile. Basically it is a spike that screws onto a 2 liter bottle (and probably smaller plastic beverage bottles too). You fill the bottle with water, put on the spike and turn the spike upside down in the pot. It slowly waters the plants. You gotta love Carol Wright and Dr. Leonard catalogs! They have the coolest little gadgets. Here is a link to Carol Wright's site with the watering spikes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Watering Spikes

I am both a gardener but also have fish, which leads me to have a possible solution for the concept of attaching a hose to the kitchen (or bathroom sink). I bought a siphon system to clean my fish tanks with that connects to the sink and drains the water directly into the sink and then you can reverse the flow to refill the tank with fresh water, eliminating the need to carry buckets back and forth. The hose itself was a standard garden faucet size nozzle while the sinks in my apartment are of course smaller. The kit came with an adapter for that very reason, it converts a regular house faucet into one that can take a hose. So I put that on my bathroom sink and then I took something I use for gardening, a direct connect system, to that. The direct connect system has one adapter go on the faucet and another part go on the male part (the hose) and they easily and quickly come on by pushing the pieces together and then to get them off you just lift and it releases.

I am fairly certain you can get adapters to convert household sinks into the size of a garden hose (try a hardware store or perhaps look in a gardening section), I get my quick connect connectors at walmart but any store with garden supplies should have them I would think. Then all she would have to do is connect, disconnect, and possibly drag some hose, which I think is easier than carrying water around. I put the system on my bathroom sink and just leave it on since it was easier for me, also doing this took away the aerator on the faucet but I did not care (not sure if she would or not). I have been known to use my fish hose to water some of my houseplants sometimes. Too bad there is not an outdoor faucet on her balcony!

Just a thought, best of luck!

I put a pencil sized hole in the bottom of a 48 oz. or 64 oz. plastic juice bottle at the edge, fill it with water, put the cap back on and lay it on it's side with the hole up so the water won't leak out. To use it to water a plant I just stand it upright,leave the cap tight and the water goes out the little hole very slowly. You'll see little bubbles go up in the bottle as the water goes out. Even though you may not see bubbles for a while, the next morning the bottle will be empty. We drink a lot of juice. Believe me, this saves time. You can be standing bottles up while the first ones are doing the job. ANAEROBIC

Jean, if you mom is still able to water but not able to carry the water why not fill a big water container and place it near her plants? She could still water but not have to carry it. Unless she has too many plants I would think that a container would hold enough for a few days and then you could refill it within the week. Maybe it could be elevated and have a spigot on it. As mentioned there are lightweight short hoses that could reach from the tap water to the container so maybe you could refill it without carrying the water. The link below has a 5 gal. container plus a spigot for it which can all be purchased for less than $15 plus shipping for find something like it. Wal-Mart sells a 7 gal. blue square one for under $10 in the camping supply area and the spigot is part of it.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_WS%20J100_A_name_E_5%20Gallon%20Water%20Jug

Go to the hardware store[ I use Lowe's] they make a three switch Y connector, it looks like an upside down Y with a switch on the long single part of the Y. The bottom of the Y screws into your faucet, the two other parts are pointing into the sink. That switch turned one way and water only comes out the right arm, another it only comes out the left, the last position lets water run out both sides. Connect your hose to the, say, left arm, wrap your hose around the faucet and run back to behind her sink. Drill a hole and run into the cabinets, now run hose along baseboards or under carpets over to the door leaving enough excess hose to reach outside. buy and attach a wand, and sit in a pail by the door. Now when she wants to water just turn it on, flip switch to left arm and go water, with just a pull of the trigger. When finished, place wand in pail, turn off water, flip switch to right arm. Water will now run out of right arm just as faucet did before. Don't over-water.