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Tips to Ensure Your Plants Thrive While You're on Vacation
When we go on vacation, we not only leave our homes but also “abandon” the care of our beloved plants, hoping they’ll survive the high temperatures and lack of watering. Therefore, if you’re planning to be away for a longer period, it’s essential to anticipate their needs even if they are drought tolerant succulents. Plants are often the biggest casualties of vacations. Here are several care tips to consider before you close the door and head off to enjoy your well-deserved break.
Before You Leave for Vacation
Give your plants some attention before you go. Start by checking their condition, trimming damaged parts such as dry branches and leaves. This will help your plants use less water while you’re away. Next, water all your pots thoroughly, ensuring no water is left in the saucer for species that can’t tolerate standing water. Also, don’t lower the blinds completely; your plants still need light. Ideally, place them in a spot where they won’t be directly hit by the sun, especially with current high temperatures.
Finally, prepare one of the following methods. It’s the only way to ensure your plants survive your absence!
Ask a Trusted Person to Visit Your Home
This is the easiest option and requires the least effort from you, though it’s not always the most effective. If the person you ask waters your plants without considering their specific needs, they might overwater them, leading to the same outcome as not watering them at all. So, leave instructions on how much water each plant needs and how often. You know, but your friend might not be as passionate as you are and might not realize that a peace lily and a pothos have different watering needs. You can also suggest the stick trick: if the stick inserted into the soil comes out dry, the plant needs water. Some plants might look a bit wilted when you return, but with your care, they’ll recover!
The Cord Trick
One of the most economical and easy-to-implement methods involves just a water jug and a cotton cord. Insert one end of the cord into the water jug, ensuring it touches the base to keep contact as the water evaporates. The other end goes into the plant’s soil, allowing it to absorb water as needed. For this method to work, place the water container higher than the pots.
Use Self-Watering Cones
Another simple and cost-effective option is to get a set of drip irrigation cones for your pots. These small devices fit onto a water-filled bottle that you place upside down in the pot. Many have a valve to adjust the drip rate, so the water can last up to 15 days, giving the plant the water it needs gradually. There are also terracotta versions available.
If you don’t want to spend any money, you can do the same with a capped water bottle. The only difference is that you’ll need to make some small holes in the cap to allow the water to filter out when the bottle is placed upside down.
Self-Watering Bulbs That Also Decorate
Functioning similarly to the cones but more decorative, self-watering bulbs are another option for plant care during your vacation. These often have a tempered glass reservoir that holds water and a pipette that releases water slowly according to the plant’s needs. They come in various designs and shapes, making them a more aesthetic choice compared to water bottles with cones.
Use Gel Water in Your Pots
Gel water is another option to keep your plants hydrated during your vacation. This hydrogel, made of water and nutrients, slowly releases water as the soil dries out. To use it, soak the beads in water for 2 to 12 hours (depending on the manufacturer) before placing them in your pots. Gel water is also known as solid rain, potassium polyacrylate, or water retainer.
Self-Watering Pots
Although this option requires a bit more investment than the others mentioned, it’s worth it as it helps with daily plant care as well. Self-watering pots have a sealed water reservoir connected to absorption tubes that the plant uses to draw water. For optimal function, fill the absorption tubes with substrate, leaving space for the root ball. Then, fill the water reservoir without exceeding the marked level. These pots can provide water for up to a month.
What About Outdoor Plants?
For outdoor plants, you can use any of these methods, though water will evaporate more quickly. The best option, especially for your garden, is to install an automated watering system. You can program it to water your plants early in the morning or late in the evening, the best times for watering.
Install a sprinkler system for your lawn and other shrub plants, and for pots, a drip irrigation system is more suitable.
Plant Care Tips for Vacations
There are other measures you can take to ensure your plants are in the best possible condition when you return. Follow these tips to care for your plants while on vacation:
- One of the most important things is to gather all your plants in the same room, in an area where you can protect them from extreme cold and heat. A dry room with the blinds half-raised to let in some light, but without direct sunlight, is recommended. Ensure there are no strong drafts, which are very harmful to some species.
- It’s also very advisable to leave your plants in the best possible condition before you leave, so remove any traces of dry leaves or stems. You can even do a little pruning to help reduce your plants’ water consumption.
- Additionally, a preventive insecticide treatment could save you from unpleasant surprises when you return. If any of your plants are prone to specific pest attacks, take measures before it happens, or it might be too late when you come back. Most pests can be combated with organic and ecological remedies, so you may not need to resort to chemical products. In this other post on how to make natural insecticides for plants, you can find options to make at home.
