How to Keep Plants Alive While You Are Away
Coming home from a holiday to a row of wilted plants is a sad end to a good trip. The good news is that most houseplants can manage a week or two alone with a little preparation, and some can manage a month. How much you need to do depends on how long you will be away and which plants you have.
A long weekend
For three or four days, most plants need nothing special. Water anything that is due the day before you leave, and you are done. Plants that store water will not even notice you have gone.
Up to a week
For a week away, a few simple steps cover nearly everything.
- Water thoroughly the day before you leave, until water runs from the drainage hole, then let the pots drain fully so nothing sits in a full saucer while you are away.
- Move plants back from sunny windows. Less light means less water used, and no risk of scorching while no one is there to notice.
- Group plants together in one room, away from heaters and air conditioning. Clustered plants keep the air around them more humid and lose less water.
- Turn the heating or cooling down to a moderate level rather than off. Plants dislike extremes.
One to two weeks
For longer trips, the plants that dislike drying out need more help.
The most reliable option is a self-watering pot. Its reservoir keeps the soil evenly moist for a week or two, so thirsty plants such as ferns and calatheas come through a trip without stress. If you travel often, moving your most demanding plants into a self-watering planter is the single best change you can make.
Without one, try the bathtub method. Lay an old towel in the bottom of the bath, add an inch or two of water, and stand the plants on the towel in their plastic nursery pots with drainage holes. The soil draws water up from below. It works for a week or so, but needs a bathroom with some light.
Another option is a simple wick: push one end of a cotton cord deep into the soil and put the other end in a jar of water beside the pot. The cord draws water into the soil as it dries.
For small plants, a clear plastic bag loosely over the pot and foliage, held off the leaves with a few sticks, creates a mini greenhouse that holds moisture in. Keep it out of direct sun, or it will overheat.
Three weeks or more
For a long trip, the honest answer is that most leafy plants need a person, since even a self-watering reservoir runs dry well before a month is up. A friend or neighbor who visits once a week will keep everything going. Leave them clear notes, with a label on each pot saying how much water it needs, and group plants with similar needs together to make it easy.
The exceptions are the plants that store water. A snake plant can go three or four weeks without water in most homes, and longer in cool weather. A ZZ plant is just as tough, thanks to the rhizomes under its soil. Water them thoroughly before you leave, move them out of strong sun, and they will be waiting for you when you get back. Succulents and cacti are similar.
If you travel a lot, it is worth building a collection around plants like these. Snake plants and ZZ plants are the two we recommend most often to frequent travelers, and either one will forgive a long absence far better than a fern ever will.
When you get back
- Check each plant before you water it. Some will be dry; others, especially ones you watered heavily and moved into shade, may still be damp. A moisture meter makes this quick for larger pots.
- Give wilted plants a thorough soak. Most perk up within a few hours.
- Remove any leaves that have yellowed or dried, and move plants back to their usual spots.
- Hold off on fertilizer for a week or two while they recover.
The one thing to avoid is panic watering. A plant that has dried out needs one good drink, not three in a row. Check the soil, water what needs it, and give the rest a few days to settle back in.