Are you heading out for a weekend or a long trip? You do not need to worry about arriving back to unhappy houseplants. A little preparation before you leave guarantees your green friends stay healthy and thriving while you are away. Here is how to do it:

1. Adjust Light and Temperature

Plants require proportionate amounts of water to the quantity of light they receive. When your plant has more sunlight exposure, it utilizes more water because plants lose this water through the process of transpiration, a process that grows faster with more excellent light.

  • Transfer Plants From Full Sun: Rearrange your plants a little back from the windows. This step will help slow down water loss and maintain soil moisture longer.
  • Keep the Environment Stable: Do not place plants near heating vents, air conditioners, or drafty windows. These conditions dry out the air and stress your plants.

If your plants already receive minimal light (which is normal in winter months), leave them where they are. No one needs to move plants that require only once a fortnight watering.

Changing the light and temperature is not only a process for rehydrating your houseplants' water, but it is also their comfort setting while away. Some tropical houseplants react dramatically to sudden temperature changes or drafts. By controlling their environment, you’ll help them conserve energy and thrive even in your absence.

2. Keep the Soil Moist

For a week-long trip, adequate watering of your plants a few days before you leave may be excellent. Water only if the soil feels dry or nearly dry, then any extra moisture will be drained out to prevent the roots from rotting. For longer trips, try these:

  • Mulch the Soil: Layer with mulch, wood chips, or damp newspaper to slow evaporation. This is an excellent technique for larger plants, which might dry out too fast.
  • Make a Mini Greenhouse Using a Plastic Bag: Water the plant and place a clear plastic bag loosely over it. Be sure to leave slits for air circulation and stick twigs around the leaves so that the plastic bag does not touch them. It maintains humidity while letting the plant breathe.
  • Set up a Tray With Pebbles: Place small rocks in the tray and fill it with water. Put the planter on the tray. The warmth will create evaporation of the water, thus building up humidity.

Make Your Own Self-Watering Systems

  • Use Capillary Wicks: Soak one end of a wick in a water container and place the other in the soil where your plant is. The plant will take up the moisture when it requires it through the wick.
  • Upcycle Bottles: Fill the bottle with water, prick the lid, and insert it upside down into the soil. The water will slowly leak out into the soil over time.

Another practical approach is grouping plants with similar watering needs together. This method simplifies your setup and creates a localized area of humidity, which is especially beneficial for tropical plants. By grouping them, you’re mimicking their natural environment where they’d grow close to other plants.

3. Group Humidity-Loving Plants

You should place your ferns and air plants, which require humidity for optimal growth, together in a small room, such as a bathroom, where it gets sufficient sunlight. As the number of plants improves the moisture within that microclimate, the drier atmosphere they'd be living in won't dehydrate them as quickly.

Bathrooms are perfect for this because they usually have greater humidity than any other part of your house. If you have a bathroom that doesn't get enough light, you can replicate the same arrangement in another room equipped with a small humidifier to keep the moisture levels constant even when you are away.

4. Avoid Fertilizer

Avoid fertilizing the plants before you leave. Fertilizer promotes growth, which increases water consumption. If you do not fertilize, your plants can save themselves some resources and handle themselves better in your absence.

Fertilizing at the wrong time also adds undue stress to your plants. Plan to feed them after your return so they can get that boost when you resume your care routine.

5. Prune Unnecessary Growth

Trimming your plants will help them reduce their water demands. Remove dead or yellowing leaves, flowers, and buds because they need more moisture to remain healthy. Pruning keeps your plants looking neat and focused on conserving energy.

In addition to pruning, inspect your plants for signs of pests or diseases before you leave. This will guarantee that your plants are healthy and reduce the likelihood of problems while you are away.

6. Use a Plant-Sitter

If you're away for more than a month, consider asking a friend or family member to water your plants. Make sure you leave them clear instructions for each plant, perhaps even with a quick demonstration. And don't forget to bring them a thank-you gift when you return!

All this can be put into place because of a great plant-sitter, especially delicate plants that call for frequent attention. One might even employ a professional service for the proper care of one's plants, especially if traveling for an extended period or owning a large quantity of plants.

7. Invest in Self-Watering Pots or Devices

If you travel frequently, self-watering pots or devices can be revolutionary. These tools provide a constant supply of moisture to your plants over time so that you do not overwater or underwater them. Some self-watering setups make life easier by keeping your plants moist for weeks.

Special Considerations of Drought-Tolerant Plants

Succulents, Cacti, ZZ plants, and Snake plants are great for frequent travelers. These hardy plants can go weeks, sometimes over a month, without water, especially if placed out of direct sunlight. For these plants, a good watering before you leave should be enough.

If you're thinking about adding new plants to your collection, choose those plants that match your lifestyle. Drought-tolerant plants and low-maintenance plants still provide beauty to your home with the least effort.

What to Do When You Return

Once you’re back, check on your plants immediately. Start with investigating your soil, determining whether it is too dry, wet, or right. If that is the case, water them slowly to try not to shock their roots.

Now look over your plants and see if there are any signs of stress: yellow leaves, droopy stems. Take off any rotten leaves and decide whether to feed them lightly, depending on when it is in their growing season. For the more humid-dependent plants, a light mist will get them going again after whatever dryness they might have been exposed to on your trip.

Conclusion

Taking care of your plant while you are away doesn’t have to be complicated. With minimal effort, you can arrive at a home packed with healthy and happy greens. Your plants will be just as excited to finally see you as you will be to see them!

These techniques, whether providing the proper lighting, a humidity-friendly environment, or friends with whom to rely, will guarantee your vacation without any worries about your plant buddies. When you get back, the healthy plants will brighten up your days.

How to Buy Plants From Eureka Farms?

You are now licensed for a full-scale nursery with an extensive inventory of landscaping trees, fruit trees, palm trees, and the largest houseplant collection. If you want to enhance your curb appeal or turn your porch into a class act, Eureka Farms can guide you on how to do it all, from topiary trees and hedges to everything in between. You can rest assured that we will handle the shipment with the utmost care across the country so that when your plants reach you, they will be as fresh as new. These indoor plants require less upkeep, improve home air cleanliness, brighten moods, and provide essential touches of the natural world to the work-from-home office. Happy Planting!