Are you wondering about keeping your houseplants watered whilst you’re away on holiday
Packing your bags for holiday and don’t have anyone to look after your houseplants during your trip? Don’t despair – get inspired by some handy tips that will keep your little oasis well looked after.
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Keeping your houseplants watered whilst you’re away on holiday
Lets take a look at some great hacks
1. Damp fabric
If you only have a few houseplants, then a piece of absorbent fabric such as a towel or washcloth will take care of watering whilst you’re away. Simply soak half the cloth in a sink of water, and spread the other half over the potting soil. The fabric will gradually absorb the water and the plants will take in as much as they need.
2. DIY irrigation systems
If you have more plants, you can easily make your own watering system. It’s super simple – you only need a few metres of linen wick, which you can get from any small haberdashery. Put one end in a large bucket of water and bury the other end in a pot. Several plants can drink from one pot at once. For larger or more humidity-loving flowers, it’s best to put at least three wicks in the soil.
tips for keeping your houseplants watered whilst you’re away on holiday
3. Recycled sprinklers!
If your houseplant collection is more like a small jungle, you can reuse any old plastic bottles and make gradual watering cans out of them. Just fill the bottle with water, poke a small hole in the cap and bury it deep into the pot. The plant will only take as much moisture as it needs, for up to 14 days. Just be careful not to damage the roots of the plant when you stick the bottle into the soil.
4. A watering trick for a long weekend
You’re only going away for a few days, but do you have plants at home that need frequent watering? Treat them to a bath! Place them in a couple of inches of water, and they will drink up slowly, and last up to a week without your care.
5. Think ahead to keeping your houseplants watered whilst you’re away on holiday
If you are an avid traveller and are away frequently, think about watering your flowers when you pot them. Add a few water pearls to the substrate, which you can get from any major florist. These hydrophilic beads soak up water with each watering and then gradually release it back into the soil. The more beads you have in the substrate, the longer the plant will last without watering.
If you give your flowers a little extra care, most of them will reliably survive a two-week holiday. Before you leave, be sure to move them to a corner of the room out of direct sunlight. It will also help damp-loving flowers if you put them closer together.
The more they are together, the more they will moisten each other’s air. And if you’re travelling often and for long periods of time, look into growing plants hydroponically – a way of growing plants in water. And never forget – overwatering will kill hardy plants, so a week away here and there is no sin!
Further reading
You might also like my post on innovative ways to display your houseplants
