The long-awaited summer holidays have finally arrived! Your case is packed, but suddenly your eye falls on the terrace, on those lush pots that you have cared for with so much love all year round and now you fear that they may irreparably suffer your absence.
Don’t worry, you’re in the right place to find out how to water your plants during your holidays: ready to follow our advice?
The first solution that comes to mind is the most obvious: ask someone you trust to take care of your green creations. This isn’t always practical for everyone however. In addition there is always that thought at the back of your mind that the person in charge will make some fatal and unforgivable mistake. Let’s see, then, how we can take care of the situation completely independently.
Before you leave
Before locking up your house, take a few precautions:
- don’t leave your plants in the dark: if they need to stay inside, put them near a window so that they get some light;
- for your balcony plants, make sure they are in a shaded area, close together to help them retain moisture;
- leave some containers with water next to the plants, the evaporation will help to counteract the heat and high temperatures from the sun, which could dry the plants;
- another good idea might be to create a hydroponic garden, which we have already talked about in this magazine.
Ways to water your plants
If you’re only going to be away for 3 or 4 days, then a thorough watering beforehand should be enough to ensure your plants don’t suffer too much. If you’re going to be away for more than 5 days, then you’ll have to think of alternative solutions.
A simple and effective idea is to put a bottle full of the required amount of water for the whole period, next to each plant. Then use some well soaked strips of cloth as a conductor: immerse one end in the water in the bottle and the other end in the soil, a few centimeters below the surface. This way, your plant will be able to drink independently.
If you have plants that do not require large amounts of water, then you can use a half-litre plastic bottle. Make some small holes in the base and in the lid: fill it with water and position it upside down in the soil, allowing the plant to be irrigated slowly.
There are also plenty of automatic irrigation systems on the market, your trusted florist will no doubt be able to advise you. Whether you choose a homemade or professional method, you’ll be able to leave for your holiday with complete peace of mind!
