Plants, in addition to cleaning the air and producing the oxygen we breathe, have the power to transform the spaces they inhabit. A room can go from being a cold space to being a cozy and full of life place just with the presence of a couple of plants, so it is understandable that so many people are in love with them, and we want to fill our spaces with green.
But, although plants generally require little care (compared to pets, for example), they are still living things, requiring at least some water, light, and ventilation to stay alive. On vacations, many people forget their plants and when they return they find a pile of dry and yellow leaves… and obviously that is not ideal. You don’t have to give away all your plants if you’re going on vacation, much less resign yourself to letting them die. There are very simple techniques that can help you extend irrigation times, and that will give your plants an extra push to survive while you are gone. Interested in learning more? Read on!
Put Them away from Direct Sun
Choose an area of your house that has enough light, ideally not in direct sun (as this would dry them out faster), and move them to that area so that the moisture in the soil lasts longer.
Put Them All Together
In this way the plants will shade each other, and they will be able to better maintain the humidity of the air that surrounds them. Arrange all your plants so that you create a mini-jungle.
Water Them Very Well, and Cover the Soil with Mulch
Mulch refers to a layer that is applied to the soil surface and serves, among other things, to better conserve moisture. Plants in mulched soil lose up to 25% less moisture, so watering lasts longer, and there’s less risk of your plants drying to death in your absence. You can use small stones, rice husks, small pieces of chopped wood or peat or coconut shells; in either case, you only need to apply a thin layer on the floor.
Create a Self-Watering System
It’s very easy to do: you just need a container filled with water and several pieces of cotton string (one for each plant). You put one end in the container —which should be higher than the height of the plants— and the other end you bury in the soil of each pot. The cord will allow the passage of moisture, so that the plant will not dry out completely.
Ask Your Friends to Lend You a Hand
If your trip is longer than two weeks, it is best to seek help from someone else so that your plants survive. You can apply all the previous steps so that it is not necessary to water them as often, but if you are not going to be around for that long, there will be no self-watering system that will last, so it is better to go to the landline and ask someone to help you. They can spend some time around your house to water the plants, and open the windows for a while to “renew” the air.
With these basic recommendations, your vacations no longer have to be synonymous with the death of your plants. It’s just a matter of planning a little, preparing the “terrain”, making use of space and creativity and, finally, also enlisting the help of friends and neighbors. A nice way to thank them for taking care of your plants could be to give them one later.
Have you used any of these techniques before? Do you know other techniques to help plants survive the absence of their humans? Tell us in the comments below!
