Maybe you’re headed out to visit family or you've rented a cabin for a little R&R time away from the same four walls. Bon voyage! Still, you can't forget about your plant babies when you leave town! Whether you have just one houseplant or tons of flowers and vegetables or herbs on your balcony or patio, you’ll need to plan ahead.
If you can't enlist a pal who can come over and care for them, water well before you leave (meaning water should run out through the drain holes of the pot), then follow our tips to ensure everyone’s still alive and well when you return.
Leave your succulents alone
Succulents, such as Echeveria, jade plant, haworthia and snake plant, won’t need any coddling while you’re away. It's a major reason we love them! They can go up to two weeks or more without water, so give them a drink before you go, and don’t worry about them too much. They’re great choices if you travel often.
Fill the bathtub
“If you have lots of houseplants, put them together in the bathtub, then fill the tub with 1 to 2 inches of water,” says Barbara Pleasant, author of The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual. “It’s an old-school solution, but it works if you’re going to be gone for a week or ten days.” Make sure to pull the saucer away from the pot (and that the pots have holes in them!) so the plants can wick water up through the drain holes. Just a few pots? Try the same trick in the kitchen sink.
Adjust indoor conditions
No matter the season, most plants tend to like moderate conditions, so tweak your heat or AC accordingly. Because most houseplants are tropical in origin, they prefer temperatures between 55 to 80 degrees. If indoor conditions are super-dry in winter, try grouping plants together on a tray of pebbles and filling with water to boost the humidity level. They’ll benefit each other by being closer together. It also helps to draw the shades or sheers, or pull them back from the window, so they’ll use less water, says Pleasant.
Group outdoor plants together
Outdoor pots can be grouped together in the shade, which buys you an extra day or two before they’ll need watered, according to Kansas State Extension Service. Even sun lovers can tolerate shade for about a week or so. Groupings also help reduce transpiration and evaporation, which is affected by temperature, humidity, and light levels. So, in the shade, they’ll be able to go more days between drinks.
Water automatically
Set up a sprinkler on a timer to water the pots you’ve grouped together. Another option is to install a drip irrigation kit, which is easy to assemble and customize to your specific container. Or create an inexpensive, simple system with water wicking cord that goes from a water bucket to each plant, suggests Cornell University Cooperative Extension.
Set up a kiddie pool
A variation on the bathtub solution is to place your outdoor pots together in a kiddie pool with about three inches of water in it. Again, it’s best to do this in the shade so they’ll use less water, and yep, make sure the saucers are removed so the plants drink through the container’s drain holes.
Bring plants indoors
Smaller outdoor pots also can be brought indoors (if you have AC), where the conditions aren’t as harsh with the hot summer sun beating down. They may drop a few leaves as they adjust to the lower light levels, but they should be fine for about a week or so.
Opt for self-watering options
For pots or window boxes you can't group together, try watering globes, which are glass balls filled with water, then turned upside down in the containers. The water drips slowly into the pot. Although watering this way tends to be uneven, it’s better than nothing. You can accomplish basically the same thing by using an old plastic jug or bottle with holes poked in it submerged in the soil, then filled with water. Self-watering pots are another option if you travel frequently—or often forget to water! That way, your plants wick up the water they need without any help from you.
How to Water Your Plants While You're Away
Self-Watering Spikes
Recycle a water bottle with these terra cotta spikes.
Drip Irrigation Watering Kit
Set this drip system up for all your patio pots.
Watering Globes, 2-pack
Fill with water to give your plants a drink.
Fill the water reservoir, and the plant waters itself.
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