Best Plant Watering System While On Vacation

Many families take major vacations at the end of the year or peak of summer, which is exactly the point when most plants are growing and active. The major problem is that plants can face drought injury if you do not water them properly. So you need to have an automatic watering system that will cover the waterpots or the entire lawn.

That is why a smart garden system can help your plants from drought, and you can enjoy your vacation without feeling any burden. At the end of the day, you want the plants to be your happiness, not a burden.

To save the plants from dying, here are some plant care tips you can follow and build your smart garden.

7 Simple Ways to Plant Care While Traveling

As a plant parent and a traveler, I always encounter a common question: How do water plants while on vacation? As you know, many people worry all the time that traveling can kill the plants. After a well refreshing vacation, the very last thing you’d want to see is that your plant babies are yellowed, wilted, and close to death.

These 7 simple, smart garden ways will keep your plants lively while you’re traveling:

Use Self-Watering Planters

A reservoir and drainage are used in a self-watering planter to give your plants’ roots access to water, allowing them to drink at their own speed. Self-watering planters use a porous clay barrier or fabric cord to collect water from an internal reservoir.

This moistens the soil, allowing the plant’s roots to absorb the necessary amount of water. Some smart garden waterpots allow the plant to drink at its own pace and even give signals or show caregivers when it’s time to add water to the empty pot.

Self-Watering Bulbs

Self-watering bulbs are blown glass globes with long thin necks or spikes that can be used as a decorative feature. They’re commonly tinted in gorgeous hues and create a nice aesthetic feature for your smart garden.

The globe is filled with water, and the neck is inserted into the soil, where it releases water to keep your plants hydrated. The size of the water globe determines the duration of the water.

Transfer Plants to A Shady Area

You will not be able to water your plants if you go on a trip. Even though plants love to soak in all the sunlight, they do appreciate a bit of shade when you can not water them for a while. The shade will keep the soil moist for longer, especially potted plants because they dry out faster than the ground.

Use Mulch, Rocks, or Wood Chips to Preserve Water

Add a few inches of mulch, rocks, or wood chips on top of the plant’s soil to preserve the moisture. It will help to hold the water for a few days, and your garden bed will be just fine until you come back from vacation.

Try the Plastic Bag Greenhouse Method

This technique may appear unusual, yet it is effective for longer trips. Grab a clear plastic bag that fits your plant and its pot and add stakes to the container to keep the bag from sticking to the plants. Water the plants, as usual, while being careful not to drown them.

Place your plant in a location where it will receive indirect sunlight. Water will be captured when it evaporates and drips back into the plant in this small plastic bag greenhouse.

Give Your Plants a Bath Method

Fill your sink or bathtub with a few inches of water and protect your surfaces with a towel. Put your potted plants in the sink and leave them there while you’re gone. Water will be drawn up to the roots by the soil, keeping the plant hydrated for roughly one week.

DIY drip system method

Begin with an empty and clean plastic bottle. A water bottle should be enough for a small to larger container and even in-ground plants, so drill many drainage holes at the bottle’s top.

Water your plant as usual before you leave for your vacation. Half-fill the plastic bottle with water, then flip it over and plunge it into the first few inches of soil in the pot. As the soil dries out, the water will slowly leak out of the bottle. Make sure the bottle is not too close to your plant and that the earth covers the openings in the bottle.

How Not to Kill Plants on Vacation?

Save yourself from the shock and horror of dead plants with these true tips and quick skills to keep your plants alive while on vacation.

Generously water all the plants

You can easily travel for a shorter vacation of about a week or two during semi-dormant months by giving your plants a good shower. Ensure to water the plant during the day, not at night, because the fungus buildup can ruin it. Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to deeply soak the plants as much as possible.

Once the soil is soaked, I let the pots drain the moisture. Then put the plants back on their saucer or drip trays. It will keep the plants good for a week.

Forget about fertilizer

You do not need to add fertilizer when you are on your way on vacation. As you want them to develop as much as possible slowly, avoid watering them too much.

Stabilize your home’s temperature

If you live in a higher humidity room, consider placing a portable dehumidifier with your air conditioner. Dehumidifiers help our home to pull out excessive moisture air with water-absorbing material and then circulate drier air into your home. It will stabilize your home’s temperature and plants, and you won’t need to rely on the air conditioner that much.

Soil Based Solution

For those who are frequently traveling, using terra sorb or other soil solutions with their potting soil will help extend the soil’s time to stay moist.

Conclusion

There is nothing right or wrong with how you want to automate your garden. Above, we have discussed smart devices and hacks that will help your plants stay healthy while traveling. Focus on updating specific gardening needs which are required to make a smart garden.