How to keep indoor plants alive when you are on holidays
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I became an indoor plant parent around 2019 and have since resisted the urge to convert the house into an indoor rainforest (although I am not sure why I’m resisting since that sounds pretty awesome!?).
You know the story, it starts with 1 house plant, then becomes 2, then somehow ends up at 20+! Oh, and then you see a cute pot, and you really NEED it, and it NEEDS a plant so back to the nursery you go…
On a more serious note, I now need to think about how to keep my indoor plants alive when we go on holidays. This post explores the many options for keeping your indoor plants watered and alive while you are away travelling.
Keeping indoor plants watered
Below are some ideas to keep your house plants watered and healthy while you are on holidays.
Consider the length of time you will be away from home as this will determine whether these methods will work for you. Alternatively, arrange for someone to come and water your plants while you travel.
Self-watering pots
Self-watering pots are a great idea as they have a reservoir at the base which allows water to slowly seep into the pot. Thoroughly water your plant first before filling up the reservoir.
Before using a self-watering pot consider whether this will suit your indoor plant as not all plants want to stay moist.
Bath
Put the plants in a bathtub or large sink with 1 cm of water. This is a simple idea provided your pots have drainage holes. Before using this method consider whether this will suit your indoor plants as not all plants want to stay moist.
This is also a great option if you ask someone to come and water your plants. The helper simply adds more water to the bath or sink and they are done!
Slow seepage with a bottle
Using a plastic bottle that slowly seeps water into the pot is another great idea for keeping plants watered while you are on holidays. Get hands-on and do this yourself by piercing holes in the lid of a bottle and inserting into the soil. Some tutorials suggest cutting the bottle in half but this can cause the water to drain too quickly so it is better to leave the bottle whole [s].
Alternatively, there are plastic attachments you can buy that fit standard size soft-drink bottles. These should be available at your local nursery or hardware store.
TIP | Ensure the soil in the pot is already wet to avoid the water draining too quickly from the bottle. Also consider the size of the plastic bottle being used as larger bottles may be too heavy and topple over.
Water dripper or watering bulb
Water drippers or bulbs are another option for keeping indoor plants watered while you are sipping mojitos in Bali. They generally come in terracotta, plastic or glass and there are some really cure designs!
Simply fill the dripper or bulb with water and place it in the soil. The water slowly seeps into the soil keeping your plant happy.
TIP | Water drippers and bulbs will provide around 2-4 days of water providing you have moistened the soil first.
Sealable bag with thread
Essentially you thread cotton through the base of sealable bag and water slowly seeps down the cotton into your pot. There is an easy-to-follow tutorial on the Instructables website.
Water wicking with twine
This watering method uses twine between a pot of water and your plant pots. Water will move down the twine and keep soil moist. I am curious about how much water would actually move down the twine, or if the twine would sag once heavy and start dripping in the wrong spot?
Let me know if you have tried this method and whether it was successful!
If you would like to explore this method there are instructions on Scissors and Sage.
Capillary watering mats
Capillary watering mats are made of absorbent fabric such as felt. They absorb water from a reservoir and then the soil in the pot draws moisture from the mat.
Again, the Instructables website has a tutorial.
Water crystals or wetting agents
There any many products stocked in plant nurseries and hardware stores that can increase the water holding capacity of the soil. These are generally low cost and easy to apply.
Plant love to keep indoor plants alive
Give your plants some love before you leave and consider:
- trimming off any dead leaves
- fertilising with a suitable product
- mulching to help retain moisture
- moving the plants to a different location to suit light levels
- pre-watering plants before leaving
- cleaning leaves of indoor plants
- removing any pests / insects
Ask for help
If you don’t think any of these methods would work for you then enlist the help of someone to come and water your plants. Make things easier by moving all the plants to one area so no plants are missed.
Which option to choose?
The best option for keeping your indoor plants alive will depend on how long you will be away, and whether you will have someone come and water for you.
For short periods (less than one week) the self-watering pots or water drippers / bulbs would work well. However longer periods will require a larger water source and possibly someone to come and top-up the water for you.
Personally, I like the plants in the bathtub / sink method provided your pots have holes in the base! This is a simple option and also makes it easy for anyone coming to water your plants.
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