How to Care for Your Plants While You Go on Vacation

It is that time of the year when we all need a well deserved vacation. Many households do not have a person that they usually leave at home. If there is no one available to water your plants you can use automatic watering mwrhods. Test your chosen watering method before you leave to assure that your plants will survive while you are away.

Double pot your plants in a comtainer of moist peat moss.

Buy a self watering container tjat wo;; keep a suply of water for a limited period. These can be purchased from almost any garden center, just check around.

The plactic Bag method, Do not leave bagged plants in direct sunlight, they will produce too much condenstation and may rot. First water the plant well, push four bamboo stakes taller than the plant into the soil at equal intervals around the rim of the pot. Assure that the bamboo is angled outward. Put the plant and pot ainto a clear airtight plastic bag. Make sure thatq the bag is big enough to cover the entire plant. Seal the top of the bag with adhesive tape. This way the water is recycled into the soil after evaporatinf from the leave.

Use a capillary mat. Place one end of the mat in a sink or bathtub filled with water. The other endf of the mat will be on the drainboard or on ashelf or rim of the bathtub. The end that is in the water should be lower than the level of the plants. The mat will absorb the water and the plants will take the water as they need it.

Make a watering wick, for individual plants or plants in clay pots, make a wick using any water absorbent material, cotton, shoelaces or oil lamp wicks. Push one end firmly into the root ball and the other into a container of water.

Hire someone you trust to come in and water your plants at least once a week.