5 Ways to Care for Plants While on Vacation

Learn a few tips and ideas on how to care for plants while on vacation, so you can relax and enjoy your trip.

It's Tuesdays in the Garden, and this month we are talking about summer gardening. Most people like to travel at least some time during the growing season if not several times. Often where I live we get at least some rain, but there is no guarantee. So what do you do to care for plants while on vacation?

5 Helpful Tips on How to Care for Plants While on Vacation

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Get Help

This is the most obvious answer. In the past we also had someone come and care for our pet. This person usually did not mind watering plants once or twice during the week we were away. Even if you don't have a pet, you can contact pet sitters or house sitters and see what they charge for a house visit. Also, if you have someone cutting the grass while you are gone consider offering them an additional amount to care for your plants.Friends and neighbors are great options too. You can pay a neighbor's teen a small fee for coming over to water your plants, or bring back a nice thank you gift. 

Try a Watering System

I've been wanting to try Plant Nanny for a while now and recently tried it while we were away for the week. The set I bought had four spikes but there are larger sets. I placed one in my maidenhair fern because it's the only indoor plant I have that really likes to be watered more than once a week. I used one in the moss globe planter, and one in each of the new trellis pot planters at my front door. Above is a picture of the trellis pot after one week. They are on a covered porch so the only way they will get watered by rain is if we get a very strong storm. As, you can see they look a little droopy, so maybe 2 stakes would have been better, but I am happy with the results. 

Drip Hoses with Timers

I have a drip hose in the front bed that I can turn on when it's been very dry. However, you can also attach a hose faucet timer to use while you are away.

 

Cluster Plants in the Shade

If you are able, moving pots to a shady spot will help keep them from drying out. Preferably under something like a tree which will still allow rain to reach them.

 

 

Wait to Plant

New plants and transplants are especially vulnerable when they are first planted. Hold off moving or planting anything new until you have time to help them get established when you return from your vacation.

Following some or all of the these tips will help your plants make it without you for a short time, and it wouldn't hurt to pray for a little rain.

 

Now let's see what my fellow Tuesdays in the Garden friends are sharing this week.