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It can be difficult to have friends take care of your plants while you’re away if you have a lot of them. What if no one is available to come by every day to provide your plants with the attention they require? No problem! Here are some helpful organizational hints for keeping your plants happy and healthy while you’re away.
Organized Plant Watering Systems
Regular watering is the most common concern people have when leaving their plants alone, and if you have a large family of different plants, they will need to be cared for differently. Thankfully, you can organize various watering systems to meet the needs of your plants.
Water your plants with a wine bottle.
The wine bottle option is ideal for larger plants that require regular watering. Poke a hole in the metal cap of an empty twist-off wine bottle, then fill it with water.
Replace the (now pierced) cap atop the bottle. Place the wine bottle cap-side down in your potted plant and deep enough so that it can stand up on its own. While you’re away, the water will slowly release, feeding your plant.
Place plants in a bathtub or kiddie pool.
If you have a lot of plants but not enough wine bottles, you can give them the water they need in the bathtub. Remove any saucers from the bottoms of the plants’ pots and group them all together in the tub. While you’re away, the plants will absorb the water through the drainage hole and drink as needed. For your outdoor plants, use a kiddie pool in the same way.
Organize plants into groups based on their type.
Before you leave on your trip, rearrange your plants by type. Succulents and cacti should be mixed in with other low-maintenance plants while you’re away. They’ll be fine if you water them before you leave. Keep the plants that are more water hungry together so that they can benefit from each other’s moisture and warmth.
Organized Airflow Issues
The oxygen and airflow of your plants are the next issues to consider. (When I know I’ll be gone for an extended period of time, I don’t leave my windows open, and I doubt you do either.) When you can’t control the temperature day by day, there are ways to give your plant the humid or dry environment it requires.
Create a makeshift greenhouse.
Cover small plants that thrive in humidity with a plastic container. The plastic container will act as a mini greenhouse, maintaining the water and humidity cycle while you’re away. A plastic bag can also be used as a small terrarium.
Plants should be moved away from windows until you return.
The simplest way to control the airflow and temperature for your plants while you’re away is to group them together. The tropical plants will go in your tub, while the succulents will dry out in a corner. However, make sure that all plants are kept away from any variables that could cause the temperature to change at any time.
This means that your plants should be kept away from air vents, bright windows, and heaters. These things could dry out your more sensitive plants faster than you think if you aren’t there to move them around.
Before you leave the plants alone, adjust the heat or air conditioning.
This step may increase your utility bill for the time you’re gone, and it’s not the most environmentally friendly option, but if necessary, your plants will thank you for spending a little extra money on them by adjusting your heat or air conditioning to keep the temperature consistent while you’re gone.
This may mean a slightly higher electric bill when you get home, but your plants will have a better chance of surviving until you do, with the added benefit for those of us who live in Houston that you’ll come home to a nice, cool space rather than a swamp!
Need help with any home, office or life organization project? Book a free 15-minute Zoom call here and let’s chat about how Just Organized by Taya can help you.
Working with Taya and her team is easy. You can book an appointment easily on her website, or contact her directly at 832-271-7608
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