Tricks for Keeping Your Plants Thriving when You Are Away

There is nothing nice about coming home from a great family vacation to discover that all your beautiful plants are wilting, dying or worse, dead. If you can't find someone to water your plants while you are away, there are some simple methods that you can try to keep your precious plants thriving and healthy while you are gone.

Greenhouse and a large plastic bag method

All you need is a big plastic bag, twist tie, and some peat moss. Water your small plants well and allow them to drain. Next, you will take a layer of peat moss and spread it on the bottom of the large plastic bag. Place your plants right on top of the peat moss; the peat moss will absorb any excess moisture.

Now you will tie the twist loosely at the top of the plastic bag, but make sure that you leave a little gap for proper ventilation. It's important that you place the bagged plant in an area without direct sunlight; this method will allow the soil to stay moist for up to two weeks.

Plastic bottle and paper towel method

Take a clean 2 liter plastic soda bottle and cut off the bottom portion. Take the top portion and place about three to four paper towels inside up to the neck of the bottle. Turn the top portion upside down and place into the soil of the plant.

To give the bottle more stability, take two chopsticks and push them into the soil on both sides of the upturned bottle, and then place a rubber band around the two chopsticks and the bottle. This will keep the bottle from falling over while you are away.

Right before you leave, slowly pour some water into the bottle, wetting the paper towels. The water will trickle through the paper towels into the soil slowly, keeping the soil moist while you are away.

Bath towel method

Get an old plush towel and spread it out in a sink next to a sunny window. Turn on the cold water just enough so the water slowly trickles onto the bath towel. Next arrange your plants on the towel, making sure that the drain holes of your plants come into contact with the wet bath towel.

Make sure that the cold water is just barely dripping while you are away so the bath towel will stay wet. The moisture from the wet bath towel will be absorbed by the plants roots, keeping them thriving and healthy.

Next time you have a family vacation planned and you don't have anyone to water your plants, try some of these methods and you won't have to worry about your plants wilting or dying.

Sources: Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things book