Keeping Your Houseplants Watered When You’re on Vacation

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Hello and welcome to HealthyHouseplants.com, where we teach you all about gardening in the great indoors!

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Today, I’m going to do a video that was suggested by one of my subscribers, Asher Kimber. She was going away on a trip and was wondering about how to keep her plants watered while she was gone. Whether she’s on her trip, back from her trip, or still preparing, these tips will help for future trips and for anyone else planning to be away.

Keeping houseplants watered while you’re away is a big issue, right? It’s one of the biggest challenges for indoor gardeners. But don’t worry, there are a few things you can do to help get your plants through your trip.

If you’re going on a month-long trip, you really need someone to water your plants. But if you’re going away for a week or so, you can probably manage with these tips without risking root rot by overwatering.

Some people put all their plants in a bathtub and let them soak up water. However, this can lead to root rot, so it’s not my first choice.

One of my top recommendations is using watering globes. They come in different sizes, and you fill them with water and turn them over into the pot. I’ve been experimenting with these, and they tend to keep the soil pretty moist. This is a great option for when you’re on vacation. Just be cautious if your plants are sensitive to overly moist soil.

For smaller pots, use smaller globes. When you turn it over and stick it into the soil, it will slowly release water, keeping the soil moist without flooding it. This method is much better than placing plants in a bathtub, which can cause root rot, especially in warm weather.

Another tip is to close all your blinds and place your plants in the shadiest area of your house. Without sunlight, they won’t absorb as much water, which slows down their moisture uptake.

Water your plants right before you leave. If possible, water them the day you leave or the day before. This ensures they have enough moisture to last while you’re away. One plant that can tolerate a little water sitting at the base for a few days is the maidenhair fern, but be careful not to do this for too long as it can still lead to root rot.

You can also use a wick watering system, which I’ve demonstrated in another video. This involves threading synthetic wicks through the drainage holes of your pots, allowing water to be drawn up into the soil as needed. It works similarly to the watering globes but may be better for certain plants.

When you return, water your plants as soon as possible, but only if they need it. For very dry plants, I recommend bottom watering. This technique involves placing the pot in a larger container with water and letting the soil absorb the water through the drainage holes.

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