So, you have adorned your home with some great indoor plants.  They are aesthetically pleasing, they provide some Zen in the home, they are kicking out some fresh oxygen for your family to breath and they don’t talk back (unlike the kids).  Good job Dad! 

Save The Plants

But now you are going on vacation, and you must figure out how to give them a lifeline until you return.  You can kennel the dog and cat, your kids can stay with your parents (unless they are going with you), but what do you do about the beloved plants.  Asking a neighbor to come over to water once a week seems like a burden. Plus they will have to de-arm the alarm and re-lock/alarm to leave which only adds to the stress while you are out. You can buy a fancy devise that will dispense water periodically, but it costs more than the plants did. 

If you want to keep it simple and cost effective, use these indoor water systems to keep your green friends going.  Figure out which is right for the timeframe you will be gone and the plants you have.  If done correctly, you will come home to happy plants and a house full of some fresh oxygen!

5 Indoor Plant Watering Systems

Sink/Bathtub Method

This method is especially helpful for large plants that may need more water than the other methods can provide.  It is usually good for one weeks time and can support multiple plants at once.

• Fill a sink or a bathtub with a few inches of water. 
• Lay a towel in the water.
• Place plants on the towel and they will slowly absorb the water over the next week.

Waterfall Method

This method can be done for interior or exterior plants. The duration depends on the size of the plant and basin you use to set this up.  If done for exterior plants (like in the below picture), make sure you run a test the weeks prior. Evaporation may come into play for exterior plants if you live in a warm climate.

• Place a wick (shoestring, yarn, or something similar) in a tub or basin filled with water. Consider weighing down the wick with a small washer or if it will not remain submerged in the basin.
• Place the tub above (higher) than the plant you want to water.
• Put the wick around the plant(s) that you want to water.

Wine Bottle Method

This is effective for a single plant and usually will not last for more than a week (so again you should trial this prior).  The wine bottle method also requires your plant have enough soil to support an upside down glass bottle, so may not work for very small plants. The below steps should be taken, and this wikihow article provides visuals on how this works if additional instructions are needed.

• Get a wine bottle with an aluminum screw on cap.
• Drink the wine – best part.
• Poke a few small holes in the cap.
• Fill the wine bottle with water and screw the cap on.
• Put the wine bottle upside down a few inches into the soil so the water can slowly leak out threw the holes you made in the cap.  Make sure it is secure and will not fall over.

“It Takes a Village” Method

Move the plants to a friend or neighbor’s house.  This way they can water them without the worry of having somebody come in and out of your house.  It may feel like cheating, but if it keeps the plants alive, that is the end result we are searching for!

Sprinkler Method

The sprinkler method is only applicable if you live in a climate where your interior plants can survive outside for the duration of your trip.  If so, setup a sprinkler on a timer and move your interior plants outside to be watered this way. Consider the severity of the sun and if it is a concern put your plants in a shaded area that the sprinkler can reach.  Keep in mind that neighborhood wild animals may disrupt your plants. In this case, put the indoor plants on a table or fenced in area that the animals will not be able to reach.

Dad to the Rescue

Dad may not have picked out all the interior plants that you have around, but you can be the hero by keeping them alive during your vacation.  Family travel comes with enough stress, your interior plants should not be one of those stressors. 

Check out our article on a DIY Pallet Garden as a way to add some fun to your exterior plants. If you have other indoor plant watering systems you use, please drop us a line.  We are always looking to share DIY (cheap) tricks to help out around the house.