Holiday houseplant care

Escaping from the heat of the summer is something people often do when the temperature starts to soar. Whether you have much-loved indoor plants or you are a new plant ‘parent’, preparing for that long-awaited holiday and the thought of leaving your precious plants to their own devices for several weeks - or even to the care of a well-meaning neighbour - can be quite daunting.

This might wreak havoc on the health of your plants - while cacti and succulents tend to fend for themselves quite happily for a couple of weeks after a drenching before you go, others need a constant gentle supply.

Giving them all a good, deep soak (aiming for 10 seconds or so of watering) should give the plant enough water for about a week. Don’t forget to drain off the excess water, or the plants won't forgive you if you let them sit with their feet in water the whole time.

Wick Watering

I must admit I have done the unforgivable in the past – sat my plants directly in a bowl of water (or in a few inches of water in the bath) in the hope they would take whatever water they needed. Wick watering could be a better option, as experts say too much water can cause roots to suffocate, and recommend instead using pieces of thick absorbent cord as wicks, well-soaked in water. Cut them to appropriate lengths, push one end firmly into the soil of your plant and place the other end into the bowl or bucket of water - and your plants will draw up whatever moisture they need.

Another tip is to put your plants very close to each other in a tight group after each has had a good watering, as the leaves will apparently cool the surrounding area and reduce water loss through evaporation. The moisture released from one plant may be absorbed by other surrounding plants.

Another option is to use self-watering plant stakes, these are highly recommended, as they seep water from the stake into the soil of the plant, and come in many shapes and forms, from terracotta stakes to clear plastic reservoirs in animal shapes. For extended periods of absence, however, these might need topping up by said neighbor at some point.

Stay Cool

Obviously, move all plants away from direct sunlight, and take account of the fabric of the pot – terracotta ones allow moisture to evaporate quicker than plastic ones, and small ones will lose more water than big ones, whatever they are made from. Another trick is to place the whole plant, in its pot, inside a larger non-porous one, which will create some shade and help the soil stay moist.

Wet newspaper tricks

For any pots that have drainage holes, another trick you could try is to place a stack of damp newspaper underneath the pots, and the plants will drink up extra water that they need from that. After watering, you can also lay sheets of wet newspaper on top of the soil covering the entire surface (and obviously leaving a space in the middle for the plant to grow through), which will help keep the soil moist for longer, as it's harder for the water to evaporate.

Last Resort

If you have precious, hard-to-replace specimens – get yourself a plant nanny! Invite someone to move into your home in your absence – they would probably feed the cat too if you ask them nicely, which would also save you moving him/her into a boarding kennel.

WiFi Watering

And a highly recommended device – which just needs a bit of effort to set up – is a self-watering drip-feed kit that uses a small pump, and is controlled by an app on your phone. It’s available online and has everything you need to keep your precious babies alive, whether in your greenhouse or indoors.

So no excuses now for dead or dying plants in your absence!

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan