Watering plants on vacation doesn’t have to be a problem, there are options to keep green friends from drying out during your break time.
When a vacation period is approaching we take care of several things: travel plan, tickets, accommodation, recreational activities, many activities that fill our planner and take over our time.
But what do we do with the ones that stay at home?
In the case of pets, many choose to take them on trips, leave them at a friend’s house, even use temporary homes so that – during your holidays – they are cared for as they deserve.
However, there are living beings at home that we cannot move as easily as animals: our plants.
Those friends that fill our spaces with color and oxygen. How can we guarantee that nothing will happen to them during the holiday season?
Below you will find nine ideas for watering plants on holiday, so easy and quick that you can guarantee your water supply without much trouble.
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Homemade methods for watering plants on holiday
There are several ways to ensure that the plants in your home or office get their water supply during periods of absence.
Some you can buy at garden supply stores, others you can build with inexpensive materials you have at home.
So that you know all the options, in this article we will talk about all the options you have.
We will start with the homemade methods, those that you can make quickly and with materials that – surely – you will have in your house.
In all cases, it is recommended that you test them before leaving on vacation, so you can be sure that they work as you expect.
Plastic bottle
The plastic bottle is one of the classic elements for watering plants on holiday and can be used in three ways:
Bottle head against the ground
The first method of watering plants on holiday is very simple.
Fill a bottle of water and bury it in the pot. Little by little, the water it contains will be released, ensuring the watering of your plants.
This method is ideal for places with little space.
Dripping bottle
Another way to use plastic bottles or any other material is to close them.
Fill the bottle with water, put the cap on it. Then turn the bottle over and open the cap little by little, just millimetres.
When you see the water start to drip, place the bottle over the main stem of your plant or the centre of the pot.
Leave it there and drop by drop you will have an efficient method of watering your plants on holiday.
Hole in the bottle
Finally, we will give you a method that is also simple and very effective.
Take a plastic bottle, heat a cooking needle and open a very small hole at the base of the bottle.
Fill it with water and cover it. Closing the bottle prevents air from entering, so the water will not drip.
To make it work, open the cap of the bottle little by little, until the drop of water starts to flow.
The good thing about this technique is that you can control the flow or amount of water your plants will receive during your absence.
Watering plants on holiday with laces
Although it sounds comical or a bit of science fiction, the use of cords to water plants on holidays is a classic.
All you need is a string, either an old shoelace or a piece of worsted, for each plant you have in the house.
Place a large container with water in the center of the room where the plants will be during your vacation. Around it, place each of the plants that need continuous watering.
Preferably, the container with the water should be a little higher than the plants.
Now, insert one end of each string into the plant’s soil. Ideally, this should be towards the centre of the pot.
Then, the other end of the cords are placed in the container containing the water.
Again, we recommend that you try these methods of watering your plants on vacation before you leave. This way, you can make sure they work and you can correct any mistakes.
Greenhouses for small plants
This solution is ideal for those who have few plants at home and this one is small.
A greenhouse creates an ideal environment for the plant to stay moist during the time you go out to enjoy your well-deserved vacation.
Place an old piece of damp towel at the base of a transparent plastic bag. Place your plant’s pot on it.
The bag must be transparent so that the sun’s rays can enter without any problem and reach your plant.
Tie the edge of the bag, so that your plant is completely covered.
Don’t worry, the plant won’t suffocate.
Instead, you’ll recreate an environment where humidity will be maintained and your plant will stay moist and fresh during your vacation.
Super absorbent sponge or cloth
You can find products with a high absorption capacity in hardware stores or flower shops.
Using them can be a great idea for watering plants on vacation.
Place the sponge or absorbent cloth in a container with water and let it absorb as much water as possible.
Then, take the sponge and place it inside your pot, in contact with the soil, little by little it will release the water that will keep your plant moist.
Commercial products for watering plants on holiday
We already know the mechanisms you can do, with your own hands, to water the plants on vacation. Now we will mention the most used commercial methods for these purposes.
Ceramic mechanism
In specialized shops, even on Amazon, you can find the ceramic cones to water the plants on vacation.
These devices are made of porous materials, such as clay, allowing water to pass freely, wetting the soil of your plant.
They have a special thread so that you can place a bottle of ordinary water, turn it over, bury it in the pot and that’s it. Guaranteed water for your plant.
Gelled water
Another commercial method of watering plants on holiday that is used very often.
Simply remove the gelled water from its protective packaging and place it in contact with your plant’s soil.
When the plant needs water, the gel will release it, maintaining the necessary supply so that it can be maintained without problems during your absence.
Automatic watering pots
This is also a popular commercial solution when you need to water your plants on holiday.
This type of pot is equipped with a water tank that, little by little, gives your plant the water it needs to stay green and beautiful.
However, you should know that you may need more money than you think to be able to count on this kind of solutions to water your plants on vacation.
Not only should you ensure that you water your plants on vacation
As we have seen, there are several ways to keep your plants moist during your holidays, but does this guarantee that they will not die or dry out?
No, there are other measures you should take and here we will mention them:
The environment affects the plants. During your vacation, make sure you recreate a space where the plants are not exposed to high or low temperatures, nor to the direct incidence of the sun.
However, remember that the Sun is important and if they do not receive their energy you could find your plants dying when you return from your vacation.
During the summer, the best thing to do is to put them in a room where they can receive the sun’s rays. We prefer that they do so in the early hours of the day, and then – as the temperature rises – they enjoy the clarity, but do not dry out.
For the winter holidays the situation should be reversed, place the plants in a room where the sun hits them and they can counteract the natural cold of the environment.
Before you go, check them. Clean them up, remove the dry leaves, prune them, make them beautiful and you will find them in better condition than you might expect.
Buy or make a natural insecticide to keep pests away from your plants. During regular care, you can see any changes and act, but on vacation your response time can be very late.
With a natural insecticide, applied to your plants before you leave on vacation, you will keep pests at bay. Remember that an aggressive pest infestation can leave you without plants in a short time.
Finally, it would be ideal to add a little compost or organic fertilizer to your plants’ pots before leaving on vacation. This way, you ensure that – in addition to the water – they receive the nutrients they need to live.
Well, now everything is ready. Happy holidays!
