How to Keep Your Plants Alive When You’re on Vacation: 7 Tips
A vacation away doesn’t have to be the end of the world for your garden. With some simple solutions, you can ensure your plants stay alive while you have fun away from home. Try these seven pro tips from backyard gardener Jerad Bryant.
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Summer and winter are peak vacation times, and they also happen to be the harshest periods for plants in both your outdoor and indoor gardens! Excessive heat in summer wilts tender crops, while extreme frosts in winter zap frost-tender plants. Houseplants, too, need extra care while you’re away on vacation.
Some simple tricks allow you to vacation worry-free, whether you’re camping in the mountains or chilling on the beach. Your plants don’t have to suffer while you have fun; they can thrive with a little care and pre-maintenance.
Although these tips will help you help your plants, they’re less successful when you’re away for longer than two to three weeks. Take extra care of your plants before leaving for your vacation, and consider having a friend or family member check on them if you plan on being away for a while.
Set Up Automatic Irrigation
Automatic irrigation systems water your plants while you’re on vacation, so you don’t have to worry about moisture! Timers are one way to automate, though there are other ways to add extra moisture when you’re not home. Use mechanical or digital timers to water the garden during long vacations.
Digital timers are excellent tools, as they are often programmable to work on certain days at specific times. Link a hose and an overhead sprinkler to a timer, then set it to water in the morning or afternoon during the coolest parts of the day.
Aside from timers, you may also use saucers, plant watering globes, and automatic drip irrigation. Saucers work well for outdoor plants in containers. Simply set the potted plants in saucers and fill them with water. The moisture will seep in over time as the plants drink it when they’re thirsty.
Watering globes are colorful, spherical objects you fill with water and stake into the soil. They leach water out over time as the soil dries and the roots soak it up. They’re perfect for indoor houseplants and potted plants outdoors.
Add Shade Cloth
Shade cloths are excellent tools for home gardens. Plant nurseries often use them to grow partial and full shade-loving specimens in sunny areas. Link them up with stakes and ties, or drape them over metal rings and hoop houses.
Shade cloths block some of the sun’s rays in the garden, creating a shady site in a full sun environment. You may also use other shade-giving structures to prevent excess water loss during summer vacations.
Full sun plants tolerate short stints of shade—if the weather is to be mild and moderate while you’re away, you may not need shade cloth. Use it if you suspect heat waves will occur while you’re away.
Move Containers
Container plants are easy to manage during long vacations. Simply move them from a harsh environment to a more forgiving one. No matter if you have seedlings, houseplants, or cuttings, you can move them indoors or to a protected area to keep them safe and sound.
Indoors may be better for potted tomatoes, wildflowers, and other crops. AC-controlled rooms and shaded homes stay cool despite the heat. In the winter, your house will provide a warm environment while you enjoy the holidays away from home.
Your container specimens and houseplants need light. Ensure they have sufficient lighting, no matter if they’re on a porch or indoors near a window.
Remove Struggling Plants
Don’t let struggling plants take up valuable space in your garden. Remove the dead ones to let fresh, healthy growth replace them. If you’re hoping a weak seedling will make it, it’s best to pull it out before it dies without your constant attention. Neglect can kill struggling specimens quickly during vacations.
Not only should you cull the outdoor garden, but you should do the same to your indoor houseplants. If you’ve been babying a plant or two, it may be better to throw it out before you take off. The less you have to consider while you’re away, the better you’ll be able to vacation!
Avoid Transplanting
New transplants need consistent moisture and regular attention while they adapt to their new environment. It’s best to keep your seedlings in pots instead of putting them in the garden. Leave the young plants in trays and fill the trays with water to keep them moist while you’re gone on vacation.
The same is true for uppotting and repotting. Keep your potted and raised bed plants where they are, and don’t move them until you get back from your trip.
Seedlings need more water than mature specimens. Keep them soaked with a tray full of water, or put them under an overhead sprinkler on a programmable timer.
Wait To Sow Seeds
Just as you’ll want to wait to transplant, you’ll also want to wait to sow seeds until you get back from the vacation. Sprouting seeds need consistent care while they mature to keep them perky, healthy, and pest-free.
Instead of sowing seeds and hoping for the best, wait until you arrive after your trip to sow new plants. You’ll have a clear, refreshed mindset that makes garden planning a breeze.
Indoor seeds may be okay during a week-long vacation. Keep them under bright light, and consider filling their tray with water while you’re gone.
This trick works well for moisture-loving plants, though it’s not good for those that prefer to grow in dry conditions. Avoid soaking cacti and succulents; instead, water them well so they’re sufficiently moist before you leave.
Ask A Friend For Help
Finally, if all else fails, ask a friend for help! I often help my neighbor water her potted plants in the front yard, and she does the same for me when I need. Once you find a gardening friend, offer them the rewards of your garden in return for plant care.
Friends, family members, and neighbors can help you water and tend to the garden. You can also pay a trusted friend or plant professional to care for your garden or houseplants when you’re on vacation.
Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of a strong community! Ask for help now, and return the favor later by caring for your friend’s gardens when they need a favor.
