You had a great year and you deserve your holiday! Everything is ready for the big trip, sunglasses and sun protection cream in the bag. You thought of everything, but maybe not your plants.
No way to take them with you! Unless you give them to someone or have a nice neighbor to come and water them for you, here are some tips and tricks to find them in very good health when you come back:
Light:
This is the first condition for good survival of your green or flowering plants. When leaving for holiday, you instinctively close all the windows, curtains, shutters and blinds stopping the source of the light plants need. It is best to leave them a bright spot and gather all the plants there. Think about the bathroom or toilet which would normally have a small window. It’s a fact that some plants need a dormancy period or a break from light, but summer is absolutely not the right period to do this! If you choose a balcony, terrace or veranda, be careful that the plants do not suffer from direct sunlight or you may find them grilled on your return.
Water:
Another essential element to the good health of your plants. Water does not mean that your plants need to be swimming in their pots when you leave, so do not let your plants soak in your bath filled with water, it would only drown the roots and they will rot. It is better to focus on a reasonable and regular watering. A good way to keep moisture away from your plant is to add clay balls in the pot directly on the ground. Several options are available to you for ensuring adequate and regular watering:
- Automatic watering (sprinkler system): the most reassuring but also the most expensive solution. There are now automatic sprinkler systems with a drop by drop process which gives your plants the amount of water needed to keep the soil in its best condition and the correct amount of moisture.
- Reversed bottle of water: certainly less aesthetic than a tray water tank or a sprinkler, but by far the most economical. Use a plastic bottle and make tiny holes in the cap (it is essential that the holes are very small). Place in the soil upside down and the bottle will maintain a constant humidity to the ground. Use a bottle with a size depending on the size of your pot and how long you will be away from home or office. In garden center, you'll find a specific cap if DIY is not your cup of tea!
- Cotton wick: called capillary solution. For this you will need a bowl or bucket and a cotton wick. The water source/bucket should be put a little bit higher than the plant and placed nearby. Place one end of the wick in water and the other one in the pot of soil allowing it to naturally draw the amount of water needed.
With all these tips, you can enjoy your holiday and find healthy plants when you’re back!
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