A two-week holiday might sound exciting to you, but it is a different thing when you are a plant parent. It could be a nightmare to think about not having someone to look after your plants for two weeks, especially if you don’t have someone to regularly water them.
Here’s some good news – there are simple hacks regarding how to water plants while on holiday. With these tips, you can enjoy your holidays without worrying about the possibility of coming back home to dead plants.
How to Water Plants While You're on Holidays
The following are helpful tips to make sure your plants stay alive and healthy while you’re on vacation.
1. Give it a Good Watering
Give your plant a good watering before you head out the door. The goal is to keep the soil thoroughly soaked. This approach will give your plants enough moisture over the next few days while you’re unable to water them. Once you soak the plant with water, give it another go to make sure that the soil is adequately moist.
If you have a large indoor plant that is hard to move, simply water it in the pot until the water reaches the bottom.
Before you use this approach, it is important to know what type of plants you have. Certain plant species don’t respond well when you over-water them. For these types of plants, you must use a different approach.
2. Use the Soaking Method
The first tip is about adding water to the pot to keep the soil moist for a few days. You can drill a hole at the bottom of the pot or plant bed. Then, fill a container or tub with water. Place the pot or plant bed inside the tub of water so that you can keep the soil moist for as long as you are gone. You only need a few centimeters of water so that your plants can soak a little at a time. You can also put some water in the bottom of your bathtub and leave your plants in there over the span of your holiday, provided that there is enough light in your bathroom.
3. Move Plants Out of the Shade
Move plants away from the windowsill, door, or anywhere it comes into contact with direct sunlight. Excessive exposure to sunlight will cause the plant to lose moisture faster.
Choose a spot with less shade or where there is indirect sunlight. By moving your plants, you can extend the moisture in the soil, which might be enough for the duration of your vacation.
4. Ask a Friend or Neighbour
A simple yet effective approach to making sure that your plants are watered while on vacation is to ask someone you trust, such as a friend or neighbour, to look after them. You can make it easy for them to help water your plants, such as placing them somewhere accessible.
5. The Water Wicking Method
You can use a piece of cotton rope and place it in a container of water and the other end of the rope into the soil in the plant. Over the span of your holiday, your plant will take as much water as it needs through the rope.
Follow these tips on how to water plants on vacation so that you can have peace of mind that your plant babies will be fine. When you get home, make sure to water them right away and then check them for pests.
