Watering plants while on vacation.
August 10, 2011 by Deb · Leave a Comment
Most of you are planning a vacation this summer. What do you do with your interior plants when you don’t have anyone to come by and water. Of course you can call Plantscaping but most of the time with a few hints your plants are fine while you are away.
Most of your plants say Dracena’s, Ficus woun’t require water if you are going for 7-9 days. If a couple days longer, the day you leave give them a bigger drink then usual. These plants are very forgiving when it come to drying out.
Now if you have little guys that normally take a drink more then a 7 day period I have a method my Mother used.
Watering with Bricks
If you don’t mind bricks in your bathtub or utility sink, bricks can water indoor plants while you’re on vacation. Simply fold a bath towel in half lengthwise, and place enough bricks on the towel to support your indoor plants. Add lukewarm water to the bathtub until it barely covers the bricks. Remove any saucers from beneath your indoor plants, and set your indoor plants on the bricks. Your indoor plants will absorb the water they need while you’re on vacation. If she was going to be even longer she would also cover the bathtub with plastic to even hold in more moisture. Which leads into the following hint…
Plastic Bag Method
Many people don’t realize that plants can survive in a sealed container or bag, and this is a plus for those going on vacation. Sealing indoor plants in clear plastic bags holds in valuable moisture and humidity, and indoor plants thrive in this type of environment.
Simply place your plants, pots and all, into individual clear plastic bags. Make sure the bags are large enough so the plastic doesn’t come in contact with the foliage. If necessary, place sticks in the pots to keep the plastic from touching the plants. Water the plants thoroughly, and tie the top of the bag with a twist tie, or simply tie a knot. Humidity will form on the sides of the bags, and your plants will stay moist and healthy while you’re on vacation.If your plants are very large, wrap only the pots in clear plastic bags, and secure the plastic around the base of the stems with twine. This plant watering method isn’t as effective as the whole bag method, but this will keep your indoor plants from drying out for at least a week.
Other methods we have used in the interior industry are selfwatering containers, wicking or capillary mats. That is another blog…
Have a GREAT summer fellow Plant Geeks!