How to water plants while away

One of the main problems we have when we go on vacation or on a business trip is who will water or how our plants will be watered during our absence. Plants are living organisms that have needs so we have to find them in good condition when we return.

Find below some practical tips to keep your plants hydrated and healthy while you are away:

Move the plants

First of all you need to adjust their position. If you have them on the balcony, move them somewhere with shade so that they do not burn from the sun. If you have them in the house, place them near the windows; leave the curtains open and the shutters half closed to get as much light as possible. 

Automatic watering system

It is the ideal and safest solution to keep plants in excellent condition in your garden or balcony. Using automatic watering, you can determine both the frequency and the amount of water. Of course, it is more expensive if you have not installed it again because you need guidance. Something that is not suitable for long absences.

With automatic watering, however, you do not have to worry about your plants. As long as you have set the timers correctly and make sure before leaving that the system works without your presence. 

Tip: One thing you will need to pay attention to before you leave is to renew the developer battery and check the water supply from the injectors to ensure that no plant will be left uncultivated.

The automatic watering system is the ideal solution for both large gardens and balconies. 

Self-watering planters

Self-watering pots offer the convenience of being able to water your plants while you are away from home or are so busy that you don’t have time to attend to your plants properly. Self-watering pots with a wick is another solution, especially for plants that are very sensitive and keep little water. These planters use wicking action to provide water from a built-in reservoir, allowing you to water your plants by simply topping up the reservoir rather than having to keep track of the moisture level of the soil and watering according to each plant’s particular needs.

This way of watering is more expensive as the self-watering pots are more expensive than the simple ones and are ideal for an absence of up to one or two weeks.

House plant bath

Put the most sensitive plants in the tub or sink. Fill the bathtub (2-3 cm high) with water and place the pots there, preferably on a base, a crate, etc., so that they are always kept cool. This will keep the moisture up on the plant. If you have more pots, you can collect them all in the bathtub! 

This method is ideal for an absence of up to a week and for small and medium-sized plants.

Friend or neighbour

If you have decided to entrust the keys to someone of your absolute trust, relative, neighbour or a friend, let them know about the needs of your plants. For example excessive watering of some sensitive plants has exactly the same effect as not being watered at all.

Water bottle 

If it is only a few pots that you have on your balcony, then you can apply the following solution: Use water bottles or soft drinks, make a small hole in the lid and, turn them over and insert the edge with the lid into the pot where the water will drip continuously.  Alternatively, there are special nozzles on the market that screw in place of the conical lid to fit easily into the soil.

This method is ideal for plants that do not need frequent watering and for a few days absence.

Water storage crystals/gels

This is a relatively unknown but effective solution to water your plants when you are away. These crystals look like sugar granules (when they are dry), which you throw near the roots of the plants. In practice, they act like sponges, absorbing an amount of water much larger than their volume, which they then gradually release, cooling the plant. 

They are easy to use and are an ideal solution for a few plants and for short / medium absence.

Watering bags with wick

It is an easy and effective watering solution that does not require time and effort. The process is simple! After obtaining the watering bag, fill it with water up to the mark suggested by the manufacturer and place the wicks inside the plants. 

Tip: It is important to place these bags in places that are not directly exposed to the sun, so that water loss is less.

This method is effective if your time away from home is short (up to 1 week).

Water Wicking Drip System

You need some sort of absorbent wicking material or strips of cotton and a container, a big bottle or a bowl to hold water. Set a container of water next to the plant; a single container can serve multiple pots if it's large enough. Place one end of the wick into the water, making sure it reaches the bottom of the container so your plant won't be left high and dry as it drinks, and poke the other end about two cm deep into the plant's moist soil. As the soil dries out, water will travel up the wick to replenish the moisture.

This method is ideal if you have large and unmovable plants, or have too many to move, and for long absence.

Choose hardy plants 

If all the above seem tiring to you and you prefer not to bother even a little, we suggest you choose beautiful house plants that can survive with no much care!

Take a look at the following low maintained plants and choose one, or more for your house.

• Air Plants
• Anthuriums
• Bamboo
• Bromeliads
• Kalanchoes
• Money Tree
• Orchids
• Peace Lily
• Pothos Plants
• Cacti
• Succulents

Once you have chosen which watering method suits you best, you can finally relax and enjoy your vacation without worrying about the health of your plants. Find across Greece flower stores to buy beautiful and easy to care for plants for you and your special recipient.