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How to Keep Your Plants Happy While You’re on Vacation

April 12, 2022

How to Keep Your Plants Happy While You’re on Vacation

If you have the travel itch, you’re not alone: Travel agents are seeing increased bookings, with people exploring cities, booking cruises and relaxing at resorts. Even if you're finally going to take that international bucket list trip you’ve been saving up for, fear not! With the right precautions, your indoor plants will be fine.

Our vacation plant care guide is designed for the quick getaway or that dream vacation that takes you away from home – and your plants – for weeks or even months.

Long weekend plant care

It’s a holiday weekend, and you want to take an impromptu vacation. No worries! There are a few quick and easy ways to ensure your plants thrive while you’re gone.

1. Water your plants:

If you’re looking to head out of town for a few days, water your plant once before you leave. The biggest mistake plant parents make is overwatering, so rest assured that your plants won’t be thirsty.

2. Moisture levels:

If you normally run a humidifier during the day, set it on a timer to maintain ideal moisture levels (55-75%) but set it to turn off automatically at night. If you don’t currently use a humidifier and your air is on the dry side, consider investing in one, particularly for those winter months.

3. Create the “just right” temperature:

Most indoor plants don’t like it too hot or too cold. Set the thermostat to 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Even when you’re home, consider keeping those evening temperatures in the 60s as cooler temperatures will help you sleep better!

In general, keep plants away from vents to protect them from airflow that can dehydrate them or create an environment that is too cold for them to thrive.

4. Remember your sunscreen:

Plants can get sunburned, too! To protect your plant, place it behind a sheer curtain. The curtain diffuses the sunlight, giving your plant the right amount of sun.

Plant Care for Long Vacations and Extended Stays

You’ve identified the employee you will cross-train to fill in while you are gone and you’ve already crafted your out-of-office message. Your plant care strategy will need to be more robust for those long trips. Here’s what you need to do when going on trips lasting weeks, or even months:

Find a Plant Sitter

If you’ll be away for a week or more, a plant sitter is the next best thing to you being home. A trusted member of your family or friend is ideal. If not, you can ask a neighbor or hire a fellow plant lover to plant sit for you while you’re away. If you’re hiring a pet sitter to stay at home with your pets, find one who can also take care of your plants.

The most important part? Leave clear instructions for your sitter. In addition to the recommendations above, consider also creating a document that lists your plants, type, location in the home, and special instructions. That way, none of your plant friends will be overlooked.

If you aren’t hiring someone to house sit or pet sit, you can probably get away with having someone care for your plants once a week as most indoor plants only need to be watered weekly anyway.

Repot and Fertilize Before You Leave

The less your plant sitter has to do, the better! Before you leave, make sure to fertilize and repot your houseplants, if needed. This gives them room to grow to their potential, which is particularly important during the growing season.

You can breathe a sigh of reLEAF, knowing that on your next trip, your potted plants will not only survive, but also thrive. For weekly tips and tricks like these, be sure to subscribe to our blog!

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