 |
Preparing Houseplants for Your
Vacation
Gardening experts offers advice on
how to prepare houseplants to be left alone while the family's on vacation.
-
Plants cannot be left alone and ignored when the
family's away on vacation. It is not enough to simply over-water them or turn
down the temperature in the house before leaving.
-
Make a self-watering system by putting a few unglazed
bricks in a large container and adding a few inches of water (figure A).
Plants placed on top of the bricks will absorb moisture.
-
Use a self-watering wick to help the plants draw
moisture from the tub. These can be purchased at most plant stores and will
provide water to plants for several weeks. Another option is to make one at
home by threading a long piece of felt through the bottom of the plant
(figure B).
-
Fill a plastic container with pebbles and fill the
bottom with water, then place the plants on top of the pebbles. The plants
will absorb the water. For extended vacations, have a friend come in and add
more water to the pebbles, but not to the plants themselves.
-
Do not cover plants in plastic, or they will get moldy
and die.
-
Stop fertilizing plants a few weeks before leaving on
vacation. Growing plants require more fertilizer than dormant plants.
-
Lay pine cones or moss on top of the soil to keep the
moisture in. Pine cones will also discourage housecats from digging in the
pots.
-
Plants that are too large to place in a watering tray
should be mulched with damp newspaper. This will prevent a rapid loss of
moisture. A dampened towel also works well.
-
Group plants together and they will share humidity.
|
Vacation Help
No more stress
Houseplants
Saving the Summer
Workout
|
|
Partnered with:
