Watering houseplants & containers while on vacation

Going on a winter holiday? Lucky you! If you don’t have a friend to look after your plants while you are away, there are ways to keep your plants watered. Cacti and succulents can go a long time without water; other plants like constantly moist soil.  Keep in mind that clay pots dry out faster than plastic or glazed pots; small pots dry out faster than large ones. Move your plants to a cool room out of direct sunlight and mulch the soil to slow down water loss. In any case, water your plants thoroughly just before you leave. 

• Capillary method. Place a sheet of capillary mat on a dish drain board next to your sink. Make sure the other end of the mat drapes into the sink filled with water. Place your plants on top of the mat.  The capillary mat draws water from the sink to the underside of your pots.
• Wick method. Fill a large container with water. Place one end of a 1/4” absorbent cotton string into the container. (If you don’t have a cotton string, cut a 1” strip of fabric from an old cotton t-shirt and twist it.) Tuck the other end into the soil of your plant.
• Use self-watering pots. These have a reservoir at the bottom of the pot that wicks moisture into the soil.
• Plant watering spikes that screw on to plastic drink bottles are widely available at gardening or hardware stores. Fill the bottle with water, screw on the spike and poke the spike into the soil in your plant pot. Provide some support if needed to prevent the bottle from toppling over. Water will slowly seep into the soil.
• Make a mini-greenhouse by covering plants with a clear plastic bag. Poke chopsticks or bamboo sticks into the soil to prevent the plastic from touching your plants. Secure the bag around the pot with a string or elastic.

Finally, test your method before you leave to see what works best for your plants.