Stephanie CooksonIf you’re not lucky enough to have a friendly neighbour or trustworthy person to take care of your houseplants while you’re away, all hope is not lost. There are plenty of tricks to keep houseplants alive when you’re on holiday. This way, you and your plants can live your best lives, even apart.
Huddle
Mustafa Hussein
Placing your houseplants together helps create a moisture pocket, almost like a mini-biome. Be sure to try and group the moisture lovers, and maybe keep plants sensitive to too much moisture away from their tropically-inclined plant pals.
Water wicking
smartgardenguide.com
Water wicking is one of the best ways to keep houseplants alive while you travel. You just need a container with water and anything that can act as a conduit for the water into your plant’s pot. You can use cotton, candle wicks, rope, or even string. The plant will draw on the water as it needs it.
Water drip system
Chris Parker, CNET
You can recycle and keep houseplants alive in one go! Poke holes in a plastic water bottle and bury it in the soil of your houseplant. This only lasts a few days, but it’s a great chance to use those space-consuming bottles you don’t have the heart to toss, as well as tiding your thirsty plant over.
A bath (literally)
daviddomoney.com
This is best for tropical, thirty, and well-draining plants. Put them in the bath and fill it with 5 to 10 cm of water. Place newspaper or towels underneath if you need to protect the bath from the pots. This method works for one to two weeks.
Plastic bag greenhouse
Liz baessler, Garden Know How
Wrapping a plant in a plastic bag traps the water from the soil as well as transpiration. This is great in dry climates or seasons. Do not use this method on succulents. Always check for pests beforehand because they thrive in a closed and moist environment (like your DIY greenhouse, for one). This can keep houseplants alive for months.
These tricks can let you travel with peace of mind that your houseplants are not being neglected. Always check for pests, infections, and dead leaves before leaving. Also, consider the individual watering needs of each plant before selecting a method. Once you’ve done the above, enjoy your time away with holiday-proof plants.
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Feature image by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
