How can I keep my plants alive while on vacation?

[Anonymous]

Last month I won two beautiful potted flowers at a raffle at work and they are thriving. I’m going on vacation and I don’t have any friends or family close to my new place that I could ask to water them, nor do I know any neighbors I’d be willing to let into my condo and onto my porch. I live in an apartment-turned-condo and don’t have running water outside, so no timed sprinkler. I literally just moved in and know nobody, everyone keeps to themselves here, so it would be weird to randomly ask someone, “Hello! Can I leave my porch plants with you for nine days?” Also, it feels foolish to throw money at the problem since for the same amount or less I could just replant new annuals, plus, they only need watering every couple days.

And before people suggest the 2-liter bottle method, I tried that last night and by this morning the water was gone.

So do I just leave them in the shadiest area and hope for the best? Any brilliant ideas?

[Anonymous]

Try freezing the water first.

[Anonymous]

For a week? Bring them inside, close the curtains, and water right before you leave

[Anonymous]

I use those glass watering bulbs – I’m guessing the drip is slower than a 2L.

[Anonymous]

I’ve used these when we go on vacation. I put two in large plants. None have ever died. I use milk jugs filled with water. If you try them, practice when you are home because it took me a little trial and error to get them to sink correctly in the water (I ended up using paper clips) and also how many I needed in each plant. https://www.amazon.com/Blumat-Watering-Stakes-Houseplants-Austria/dp/B0001IOZ98?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

[Anonymous]

And yes, I know it’s money but I ended up leaving them in even while I was home. They are so easy.

[Anonymous]

If they are in pots, I agree to bringing them in.

Or put where they will get rain and hope for the best.

[Anonymous]

Bring the plants inside and place them in a storage container filled with a couple of inches of water. Set the plants on elevated surface so they are sitting in the water but can draw water up by their roots when they need it. Obviously this only works if the pots they are in are either porous like terracotta or have drainage holes in the bottom. Water the soil throughly before leaving and they’ll make do with drawing up water from the bottom as needed while you are gone. In the temperature and humidity controlled environment of the house they shouldn’t get too poorly in just 9 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bring the plants inside and place them in a storage container filled with a couple of inches of water. Set the plants on elevated surface so they are sitting in the water but can draw water up by their roots when they need it. Obviously this only works if the pots they are in are either porous like terracotta or have drainage holes in the bottom. Water the soil throughly before leaving and they’ll make do with drawing up water from the bottom as needed while you are gone. In the temperature and humidity controlled environment of the house they shouldn’t get too poorly in just 9 days.

Aren’t sitting in the water, I meant.

[Anonymous]

Hire a plant sitter.

[Anonymous]

Wine bottle waterers. Very thin fabric over the neck of the bottle, secured with a rubber band. Kept almost all of my plants alive for two weeks.

[Anonymous]

We ask the dog sitter to water them.

[Anonymous]

I bought terra cotta spikes off Amazon last year. You can use a 2L or a wine bottle in them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bring the plants inside and place them in a storage container filled with a couple of inches of water. Set the plants on elevated surface so they are sitting in the water but can draw water up by their roots when they need it. Obviously this only works if the pots they are in are either porous like terracotta or have drainage holes in the bottom. Water the soil throughly before leaving and they’ll make do with drawing up water from the bottom as needed while you are gone. In the temperature and humidity controlled environment of the house they shouldn’t get too poorly in just 9 days.

Aren’t sitting in the water, I meant.

NP and it’s early so bear with me but, how do you place them NEAR water where the water can be sucked up through drain holes without actually placing the pots IN water? I want to try this myself but can’t picture it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We ask the dog sitter to water them.

I wouldn’t trust my plants to a dog sitter unless she/ he knows about plants.