How To Water Outdoor Plants When Away For A Week

Utilise these simple methods to go on your plants watered while abroad on long trips and holiday!

Vacation watering methods can be easier than yous call up. Intendance for indoor plants while travelling doesn't have to be dependent on your closest neighbor.

*Chapter links below contained beneath!

How To Continue Plants Alive On Long Trips

I am going away on holiday for 4 long weeks and have indoor house plants that need to be watered, and outdoor plants that need to exist watered to stay alive. Since I don't have any neighbors out hither in the country, and simply hoping for rain isn't a expert option, I had to have matters into my own hands. Lucky for me, at that place are lots of methods to help water plants while on holiday.

Business firm Plants Watered Vs. Outdoor Plants Watered

Indoor plants typically have a different gear up of needs to exist kept alive and thriving than their outdoor counterparts. Only not to worry! I'thou sharing some great methods for indoor and outdoor plants below.

Now, what we actually want is for our plants to thrive while nosotros are abroad, not but survive. And then I recommend giving them a skillful feeding the month before, and trimming the foliage of your well established plants only a week before leaving so they use less water.

Self Watering Methods

First things first, make sure y'all test these methods out a few weeks before leaving for your trip. It'southward of import that the way you prepare information technology up is actually working considering sometimes plant watering methods require slight tweaking to work.

Don't forget to give your plants a thorough watering earlier you exit even if you are using ane of these methods.

1. Water Wicking Method (Jar On The Side)

Place gallon jugs or jars of water (size dependent on how long you expect to be gone) alongside your plant with a piece of twine or yarn in the h2o, and the other end around the soil of the plant. The water will wick from the jug to the constitute and keep it'due south soil moist while yous are gone.

Caution: make sure this is working before yous leave. Sometimes the type of twine or material y'all work with will only wick part mode… you may need to change the cloth type (brand certain it has natural fibers), or re-position the jar to be higher than the constitute with a shorter wick.

Best for: Houseplants without a lot of foliage

2. Water Wicking Method (Part 2)

This is the easiest, and most effective method I've found. It works for a big diversity of potted plants, both indoors and out!

String cotton twine through the drain holes at the bottom of the planter, and place the planter in a deeper/bigger container partly filled with water. The idea is to nest the smaller planter in the taller planter…information technology helps to cull ane with the same size width, simply ane deeper than the other.

You could use glass vases like I did here to suspend the planter above water:

Or but nest a planter with holes within a planter without holes. If you tin can't notice ane with a rim that allows it to be suspended in the bigger planter, use something (brick, jar, a smaller planter) to boost information technology high plenty.

All-time for: Indoor and outdoor plants that like moisture. This can be used long-term for most medium sized plants. I utilize this as a regular method of watering my plants so I only have to water once a calendar month or longer.

Caution: Larger plants may non be able to wick the corporeality of h2o they need through this method with a modest cord. Increase the cord size for bigger plants, and monitor to see if it is working equally desired. Beware of doing this for plants that are prone to root rot or demand dry out or sandy soil.

3. Self Watering Pots (DIY or purchase)

Yous can buy self watering containers as an investment if you travel a lot, OR you tin brand them yourself! I shared the total tutorial to turn your existing planter into a cocky watering pot here.

Best for: Outdoor plants, just can be tweaked for indoor plants likewise. Especially plants that like to be watered from below.

4. Self Watering Planters & Garden Beds

Fifty-fifty your gardens can be designed in such a way as to "cocky-water". You can use sub-irrigation methods to keep your plants watered from beneath. You tin learn how to build raised sub-irrigation garden beds here, and apply a similar methodology for in-basis gardens.

This is especially great if you are a low maintenance gardener but desire a loftier maintenance yield. This requires a bit of effort at the starting time, but once it's done you'll never have to worry again!

All-time for: Outdoor plants and garden

5. Terrarium Methods

Some of my tropical natured plants love moisture and need a terrarium-like environment to thrive while I am gone.

Merely placed the plant in a large articulate garbage bag (like this ane) that is doubled up, water the establish well and tie the handbag up over the constitute. Poke lots of holes in the purse nigh the top and so it can breathe, and presto you've just created a makeshift terrarium!

A more than bonny version is a bell jar that can cover the establish and a saucer with an inch or so of water for the plant to absorb from the lesser.

Caution: Proceed these "terrariums" out of direct sunlight or you'll only terminate up baking your plants. To ensure no water leaks you may want to identify them on top of an aluminum cookie sheet or something to catch excess water.

Best for: Indoor plants that honey moisture and tropical conditions

6. Watering Bulbs

No doubt y'all've seen a multifariousness of watering bulbs andterra cotta + jarwatering systems out in that location. They piece of work pretty well if yous are out of boondocks for a calendar week or two, and they can be beautiful and decorative as well equally helpful!

Caution: if the tip of your watering bulb gets clogged information technology won't work. Wrap the end in a little cheese cloth before poking it into the soil to forestall this from occurring.

Best for: Pocket-sized indoor and outdoor plants

7. Moisture Crystals

Water storing crystals are more than of a supplementary measure and should be used in conjunction with another watering method for best results. Add moisture storing crystals with a secondary watering organization when y'all are planning to be out of boondocks for a month or more than.

I used Miracle Gro H2o Storing Crystals, and information technology seemed to work pretty well, and I don't have to h2o my houseplants quite equally oft as before.

All-time for: Indoor plants & small deck plants

viii. Drip Method

I'm certain you immediately think of a complicated and costly baste organization when you read this. Well that is definitely a way to go, but think at that place are also individual "drip" systems that are much like the watering bulbs, but you can control the menses. For instance this Hydrospike adjustable dripper spike.

There are likewise smaller scale baste systems that are around $20 and cover multiple houseplants, small gardens, or decks.

Best for: Outdoor and indoor plants

ix. Mulch Indoor & Outdoor Plants

For your outdoor plants this is cocky explanatory. Several inches of mulch will help retain the moisture in your garden and is great with a secondary watering system.

However you tin can also "mulch" your indoor plants by adding layers of heavily watered peat moss or placing a very moist rag effectually the base of the constitute and covering it with a plastic grocery bag.

Caution: Moss tin can stay put and make a very dainty addition to your potted establish! However, y'all don't want to leave a rag or plastic roofing more than a couple weeks or you lot introduce mold.

10. Tub of Water

A reader actually suggested this method to me, and I must say it is pure genius! By far the simplest and most effective method I've tried.

Place potted plants with holes in the bottom in a long shallow container of water, or if yous have a bathtub or sink that gets a ton of indirect light, that is fifty-fifty better. Don't add more a few inches of water, simply enough to withstand evaporation and still accept plenty to water your plants for the amount of fourth dimension you lot are gone.

Caution: standing h2o tin can attract bugs and flies, spray on your tub of water a mold and problems deterrent if yous will be gone for more than a few weeks. Buy a natural constitute-friendly one from the store, or mix i tablespoon of iii% hydrogen peroxide into 1 cup of h2o, and add 3 drops of Dawn dish soap. Milkshake and spray across the top of the tub filled with h2o before adding your plants.

Best for: Indoor plants and potted deck plants

Caution: Some plants hate too much moisture and need to dry out out between waterings…this is a temporary measure for those plants, and y'all will want to let the soil dry out later returning to foreclose root rot.

11. Soaker Methods

When dealing with outdoor plants without a baste organization, a soaker hose is some other great option to keep your garden moist. You can purchase a timer (simply like with a drip arrangement) that turns the water on and off for you each day, or you can merely prepare the hose on a tedious drizzle.

All-time for: Outdoor plants and gardens