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It´s August at last and I want to go on holiday, but … What to do with my plants during these days?

I´ve been waiting all year for this well-deserved getaway in this heat, but when the day comes, a problem arises… What should I do with my plants?

I’ll tell you a little about my experience in case it helps you disconnect from everything and embark on the adventure of doing whatever you want on your days off without fear or reservation.

For many years I relied on my siblings to come home and water my plants, but if some of them died, they felt guilty, even though they had done me the great service of watering my pots in my absence. So, unless I’m away for quite a few days, I try not to disturb them.

I have plants outside in the garden, in pots, and also inside. Not all of them require the same watering and light conditions, so I’ll try to summarise:

a) Plants in the ground in my garden.

My plantations are usually done with great care so that they do not suffer when I am away, because throughout the year I often have to travel or have complicated seasons at work and I need my plants to run their course without suffering.

An electric pump system, for less accessible areas or those that require more water, guarantees me watering for several minutes each day… so I only have to make sure the batteries are charged.

However, for the plants I water directly, before I leave on my trip, I examine them thoroughly to make sure they are free of pests and I water the soil well. When I return, they are usually in perfect condition.

b) Plants in pots, in my garden and indoors.

Here I am much more careful, as these are usually herbs and flowers that require more continuous watering, as the root cannot go beyond the pot for moisture.

For them, I reserve another spot sheltered from the wind and sun to keep them cool. If necessary, I place them under the porch or, if they are indoor plants, I move them to a room where they can receive a lot of natural light, without direct sunlight. All this care helps me to find them all beautiful when I return.

Remember not to close the shutters before leaving… I did that one year and it was a disaster!

As far as watering is concerned, I have several homemade tricks, but there are many aids on the market: hydro planters or self-watering pots, jelly water, clay cones to stick in the pots and keep them moist, watering globes that look really cool, …

Here are my homemade tips:

1) Before you leave on a trip, you need to water well – it´s a must!

2) I use a lot of soup plates under clay, ceramic dishes. Do you know what I mean?

If I put a saucer filled with water under flower pots or herbs, my plant will run out of water after a few days or die because its roots will rot after several days in the water.

So I tried this trick that works wonders: I fill a hollow plate with water and on top of it a clay dish but without water. If you see that it gets waterlogged, put some small stones to raise the ceramic dish. Gradually, the dish will absorb the moisture, which will not damage the roots of the plants, which will keep very well for some time.

3) When the pot allows it, I put a large bottle of water in which I have made 1 or 2 very fine holes with a needle in the cap. When I prick the cap on the peat, little by little it releases a little drop of water and this helps me to keep the plant moist for a while. The best thing to do is to try and check before you leave both the water flow and the days the bottle will last, as this will vary depending on the size of the bottle and the size of your holes.

4) I have a friend who puts a large bottle full of water next to each pot. She puts a large cotton string that gets wet and sinks it into the peat in the pots. The substrate absorbs moisture from the string. It didn´t work for me, but maybe it was my clumsiness!

What other home techniques do you use?

Can you help me improve the ones I already use?

In the meantime, I mentally prepare my suitcase because then I forget essential things like one year my wallet. Something always happens to me, but I´ll tell you about it another time so we can laugh about it together.