01 Mar Plant care on vacation

Each of us has experienced it! We were on vacation, come back home after a few weeks and we are greeted by a desert or autumnal mood with fallen leaves on our green plants. The plants in particular that we have laboriously and lovingly tended to often hang completely brown on the windowsill. This raises the question for us whether it is worth buying new plants at all. But since we don't want to do without the beneficial greenery in our own home, we get new plants. Therefore, here are a few tips for a solution for watering and care when travelling.

Hannes

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Irrigation for larger plants

A simple and effective way of irrigating during a trip or vacation is a water reservoir that is placed directly in the ground and filled with water.

With clay cones you can fill a glass bottle with water and put it upside down in the clay cone that is in the ground.
Or you can make your own and use old PET bottles that are filled with water. The lid now has a hole through which water can flow out and the bottle is placed upside down in the ground. So your plant is automatically supplied with water. You should moisten the soil well beforehand so that the reserve from the bottle is not used up directly.

Irrigation for smaller potted plants

Our recommendation is to fill a large container with water. Then you take a thick yarn or cord made of organic material and put it in the potting soil and the other end in the water container. The plants actually draw the water they need on their own. Again, you should water the plant sufficiently before you leave. It doesn't just sound simple, it is.

This "cord technique" is also available in a slightly modified form with a ready-made irrigation system. Clay cones are stuck into the plants and a hose runs from them into a water basin.

There is also a wide range of pots that store water. If you are interested, look for it in stores, mostly terracotta pots with an autonomous irrigation system, which has a water reservoir.

Where is the best place to put the plants during my trip?

If you have succulents, these are succulent plants that are adapted to special climate and soil conditions, you can leave them in their familiar place.

Tropical plants should not be in the direct sun during your trip and also not in a place with high temperature fluctuations. It makes sense to put them together in groups at a distance of approx. 2 to 3 m in front of a window, so they are protected from intensive sunlight during your holiday and get enough natural light.

It is best to place a bucket or another larger container filled with water between the groups of plants. In the dry indoor air, the water continuously evaporates in small quantities. The resulting higher humidity means that the plants need less water from the soil.

All Ficus species, such as B. the rubber tree or the violin fig, should remain in their usual place, as they often react with a change of location by dropping leaves.

Plants like the bow-tie hemp and the lucky feather are true survivors, as they only need water every 3-4 weeks and can also get by with little light.

As you can see, it's not that difficult to get your plants through your vacation time unscathed.

Finally, a tip from us. Simply place plants that need a lot of water in the bathtub or, depending on their size, in the kitchen sink. Please put a towel underneath beforehand and then fill the tub or basin with a few centimeters of water.