What To Do With My Plants While On Vacation – The holiday watering technique is easier than you think. Caring for houseplants while traveling doesn’t have to depend on your neighbors.
I am going on vacation for 4 weeks and I have plants at home that need to be watered,
What To Do With My Plants While On Vacation
Outdoor plants need watering to survive. Since I have no neighbors in the country and hoping for rain is not a good option, I had to make up my own mind. Fortunately for me, there are several methods of watering plants while on vacation.
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Indoor plants generally have different needs to survive and thrive than outdoor plants. But don’t worry! I’ve shared some great techniques for indoor and outdoor plants below.
What we really want is for our plants to thrive in our absence, not just survive. Therefore, I recommend giving them good food a month before and cutting the leaves of your established plants a week before they use less water.
First, make sure you try this method a few weeks before you leave for your trip. That’s important
Even if you use one of these methods, make sure you water your plants thoroughly before you go.
Water Your Plants While You’re Away With This Simple Tip
Place a gallon jug or jar of water (size depends on how long you’ve been gone) with a piece of string or twine next to your plant in the water and the other end around the plant’s soil. Water from the jug flows to the plant and keeps the soil moist while you are away.
Make sure it works before you go. Sometimes the yarn or material you are working with is partially coiled… you may need to change the type of material (make sure there are natural fibers) or move the jar higher than the plant with a small wick.
This is the easiest and most effective method I have found. Works for a wide variety of potted plants, indoors and outdoors!
Insert the cotton string through the drainage hole in the bottom of the planter and place the planter in a deep/large container partially filled with water. The idea is to fit a small planter into a tall planter…it helps to choose a planter that is the same width but deeper than the others.
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Or insert a planter with a hole into a planter without a hole. If you can’t find one with a rim that allows it to hang over a large planter, use something (bricks, jars, small planters) to prop it up high enough.
Best for: Moisture-loving indoor and outdoor plants. It can be used long-term for most medium-sized plants. I use this as a regular method of watering my plants, so I only need to water once a month or so.
Caution: Larger plants may not be able to produce the water they need with this short vine method. Increase the string size for larger plants and see if it works as desired. Do this carefully for plants that are prone to root rot or require dry or sandy soil.
If you travel a lot, you can buy your own watering can as an investment or make your own! I’ve shared a complete tutorial on turning your existing planter into a self-watering garden.
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Best for: Outdoor plants, but can also be used for indoor plants. Especially plants that like to be watered from below.
Even your garden can be designed to ‘water itself’. You can use the sub-irrigation method to water your plants from below. You can learn how to build a sub-irrigated raised garden bed here and use the same method for an in-ground garden.
This is great if you are a low maintenance gardener but want high maintenance results. It takes a little effort at first, but once it’s done, you don’t have to worry anymore!
Some of my tropical plants love humidity and need a terrarium-like environment to thrive in my absence.
How To Water Plants While Away?
Place the plant in a large double-sided clear garbage bag (like this one), water the plant well, and tie the bag over the plant. Poke lots of holes in the bag at the top so it can breathe and you’ve just created a makeshift terrarium!
A more interesting version is a bell jar that covers the plant and a saucer with an inch of water to absorb from the bottom of the plant.
Warning: Keep this “terrarium” out of direct sunlight or you will burn your plants. To prevent water leakage, you can place it on an aluminum mat or something else that will catch excess water.
You will see different types of water bulbs and terracotta water systems + jars. It works great if you’re out of town for a week or two and is beautiful and decorative and useful!
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Warning: If the tip of your water can is clogged, it will not work. To avoid this, wrap the tip in a small cloth before inserting it into the soil.
Water storage crystals are an additional measure and should be used in conjunction with other watering methods for best results. Add moisture storage crystals with a secondary water system when you plan to be out of town for a month or more.
I have been using Miracle Grow Water Saving Crystals and it seems to be working well and my house plants don’t need to be watered as often as I do.
I am sure that you will immediately think of complicated and expensive drip systems after reading this. Well, this is definitely one way to garden when the timer is added.
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To water your house plants! It can be set according to a schedule or an app can be used to water on demand.
For your outdoor plants, this is obvious. A few inches of mulch helps retain moisture in your garden and is great with a secondary watering system.
However, you can “mulch” your indoor plants by adding a layer of well-soaked peat moss or placing a very damp cloth around the base of the plant and covering it with a plastic grocery bag.
Caution: Moss is dormant and makes a great addition to your potted plants! However, you should not leave rags or plastic covers for more than a few weeks or enter mold.
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A reader actually suggested this method to me and I have to say, it’s pure genius! By far the easiest and most effective method I have tried.
Place the plant in a pot with a hole in the bottom in a shallow dish of water, or if you have a bathtub or sink that gets a lot of indirect light, that’s even better. Add no more than a few inches of water, enough to handle evaporation and enough to water your plants while you’re away.
Caution: Stagnant water attracts insects and flies, so if you’re away for more than a few weeks, you can spray your shower water with mold and insect repellent. Buy natural plant-friendly ones from the store or mix 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide in 1 cup of water and add 3 drops of Dawn dish soap. Shake and spray the tub full of water before adding your plants.
Caution: Some plants hate too much moisture and need to dry out between waterings… This is a temporary measure for these plants and you should let the soil dry after you return to avoid root rot.
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When dealing with outdoor plants without a drip system, a soaker hose is another great option for keeping your garden moist. You can buy a timer (like a drip system) that turns the water on and off for you every day, or you can set the hose to drip slowly.
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Ursula Carmona is the creative mind behind Home Made by Carmona, sharing her expertise in decorating, DIY, organization and gardening. Ursula is also a public speaker, host of the HGTV digital series Table Wars: Search Less and has been featured widely in print and online. By clicking “Continue” to join or log in, you agree to the User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.
When should I water my plants? What is the daily water requirement for plants? How much water do potted plants need? Is it possible to water my plants? What is the best way to water plants?
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This is a common concern expressed by gardeners. Make sure you pay attention. Watering plants is important, but water should not be wasted. By expanding our knowledge, we can become more responsible consumers, gardeners, and citizens of the earth.
There is more than meets the eye. Accurate estimation of the amount of water to be used, the most efficient method of use,
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