โ๏ธ๐ฟ Holiday Travel? How to Prep Your Plants Before You Leave
The holidays are here with family visits, long weekends, Christmas trips, New Year getaways.
But if youโre a gardener, your very first thought is usually:
โButโฆ what about my plants?โ
Donโt worry, with a little prep, your indoor and outdoor container plants can thrive while youโre away. Whether youโre gone for two days or ten, hereโs how to make sure you come home to healthy, happy greenery instead of crispy leaves or soggy soil.
Letโs get those plants vacation-ready!
๐ฑ ๐. ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฏ๐ (๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ก!)
Most plant mishaps happen because gardeners water too heavily right before they leave.
The goal: ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ not swampy soil.
๐
๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ:
* Water well the day before you leave
* Allow extra water to drain completely
* Empty all saucers so roots donโt sit in water
๐
๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ (๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ณ๐ข๐ง๐ ):
* Water earlier in the day to avoid overnight freeze
* Skip watering if temps will drop below 32ยฐF in the next 24 hours
* Frozen wet soil = cracked pots + rotted roots
If you have a friend checking in, leave simple instructions only:
โ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐โ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง.โ
๐ค๏ธ ๐. ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
Plants wonโt grow much while youโre gone and thatโs good!
Less growth = less water needs.
๐
๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ:
* Pull them a bit farther from bright windows
(reduces light stress + water loss)
* If using grow lights, set them on timers for 6โ8 hours
* Grouping plants together helps maintain humidity levels
๐๐จ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฉ:
Move them away from areas that get ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ during low winter angles. This can scorch or dry indoor plants quickly.
๐ก๏ธ ๐. ๐๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ & ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ
Plants do ๐๐๐ก tolerate sudden temperature swings, especially in winter.
Before you leave:
โ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ค ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ
Move plants away from:
* doorways
* old windows
* fireplace zones
* heat vents
โ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐โ๐๐ยฐ๐
* Anything lower than 55ยฐF can stress tropicals.
* Anything higher than 75ยฐF dries them out.
If youโre letting your thermostat drop while youโre gone, move plants closer together and away from cold glass.
๐ง ๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐-๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ (๐๐๐ฌ๐ฒ + ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ)
If you'll be gone longer than 4โ7 days, these tricks help keep plants hydrated without overwatering.
๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐: ๐๐ก๐ โ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ข๐๐คโ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐
Perfect for small & medium houseplants.
* Place a jar of water next to the plant
* Insert a cotton string (or shoelace) into the jar
* Bury the other end 2โ3 inches into the soil
* Soil pulls water only as needed
๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐ญ๐ฎ๐/๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฉ
For lots of plants:
* Place a towel in the tub
* Add ยฝโ1 inch of water
* Set plants on the towel, NOT in water
* The towel wicks moisture up gently
Great for 5โ7 day trips.
๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐: ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐
For high-humidity lovers:
* Water the plant lightly
* Place a clear plastic bag or dome over it
* Keep the bag from touching leaves
* Creates a mini greenhouse
Avoid this method with succulents as theyโll suffocate!
๐ต ๐. ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ & ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข
Good news: these plants are built for vacations.
Before you go:
* Water lightly 3โ4 days in advance
* Move away from strong direct sun
* Make sure they stay warm (โฅ60ยฐF)
Theyโd honestly prefer you leave them alone.
๐ชด ๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ?
Herbs can be dramatic when left alone, especially basil.
Hereโs how to help them out:
โ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐จ
This slows growth + reduces water use.
โ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ
Soggy soil = mold or root rot.
โ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ
Put it on shorter hours (6 hours/day).
Theyโll perk up quickly when you return.
โ๏ธ ๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ
Winter + travel requires a quick check.
โ ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ณ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐:
* Move pots closer to the house
* Tuck under eaves or porch cover
* Wrap pots with burlap or towels
* Group pots together for warmth
โ ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ :
Make sure drainage holes arenโt blocked โ
this prevents container flooding.
โ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐:
Brush off heavy snow (it can break stems),
but let a light dusting stay as it acts as insulation.
๐งผ ๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ค ๐๐ซ๐-๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ
Before leaving, make sure you:
๐ฑ Watered plants the day before
๐ง Emptied all saucers
๐ค๏ธ Adjusted light or set timers
๐ก๏ธ Cleared drafts and heat vents
๐ฟ Grouped plants for humidity
โ๏ธ Trimmed herbs or fast growers
๐ชด Checked outdoor pots for freeze risk
๐งต Set up wick systems if needed
Everything here takes 15โ20 minutes and saves a LOT of stress later.
Are you traveling this holiday season?
Share a photo of your plant setup before you go or tell us your biggest โplant-sitter instructionsโ tips!
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โ๏ธ๐ฟ Holiday Travel? How to Prep Your Plants Before You Leave
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