Watering Indoor Plants While Away on Holiday

Start With a Properly Timed Drink

The most common mistake isn't leaving plants too dry — it's drowning them in a panic the night before you go. Water thoroughly two days before departure, not on the morning itself. That gives the compost time to drain properly and lets you spot any pots sitting in saucers of standing water. Tip away anything left in the saucer. Roots sitting in a puddle for a fortnight will rot long before they dry out.

Check the weight of each pot by lifting it. A light pot is a thirsty one; a heavy pot means the compost is still holding plenty of moisture. Push a finger in up to the second knuckle. If it's damp down there, that plant can wait. If it's bone dry throughout, give it a proper soak from the top until water runs out of the drainage holes, then let it settle.

Group Plants by Thirst, Then by Position

Not every plant needs the same treatment, and treating them all alike is how you lose the fussy ones. Before you leave, split your collection into roughly three groups:

• Thirsty: ferns, calatheas, peace lilies, nerve plants, spider plants. These wilt within a week in warm rooms.
• Moderate: pothos, philodendron, rubber plants, most ficus, begonias.
• Tough: snake plants, ZZ plants, cacti, succulents, jade plants. These cope with two to four weeks without a drop.

Move the whole collection — or at least the thirsty group — into one spot. Clustering plants raises the humidity around them and slows water loss from the leaves. A bathroom with a window is ideal, as is a cool kitchen. Avoid anywhere near a radiator, a hot water tank, a boiler cupboard or a sunny south-facing windowsill. Cooler and brighter beats warm and shaded, but don't banish anything to a dark cupboard: plants still need light to function, even if growth slows while you're away.

Slow Release Methods That Actually Work

For a week away, a thorough watering and a move to a cooler spot is usually enough. Beyond that, you'll want one of the following methods.

• Capillary matting: Stand pots on a length of capillary matting with one end trailing into a bowl or sink of water. The mat wicks moisture upward and the compost takes what it needs. Works brilliantly for a week to ten days and costs very little.
• Wicking with a shoelace or cotton string: For individual pots, drop one end of a cotton string into a jar or bottle of water and bury the other end two or three inches into the compost. Use a natural fibre, not nylon — synthetics don't draw water.
• Plastic bottle drip feeders: Prick two or three small holes in the lid of a clean bottle, fill it with water, invert it into the pot and push it into the compost. Test it for a day first. Holes that are too big will empty the bottle in an hour and flood the plant.
• Water-retaining granules: Mixed into compost before planting, these gel crystals release moisture slowly. They're less useful as a last-minute fix, since they need to be hydrated thoroughly and take a while to settle into the soil.

Self-Watering Pots and Reservoir Systems

If you travel regularly, a self-watering pot is the best money you'll spend. These have a built-in reservoir below the compost, with a wick or a permeable base drawing water up as the soil dries. Most hold a week to ten days of water, and larger ones much longer. Fill the reservoir to the marked line — not above it, or you'll waterlog the roots — and check it's flowing freely before you leave.

Ceramic watering spikes and glass bulbs work on a similar principle and suit individual medium-sized plants well. Push the spike deep into damp compost, fill the bulb, and the water seeps out gradually over several days. They're less reliable in very light, peat-free mixes, which can shrink away from the spike and stop the transfer. Test yours for a few days before you rely on it for a fortnight.

Whatever method you choose, always test it before a long trip. Run the system for three or four days while you're still at home and see how the compost feels. Adjust, then set it up properly on the day you leave.

Small Checks Before You Walk Out the Door

Ten minutes of preparation saves a lot of heartache.

• Remove dead or yellowing leaves and any fallen debris from the surface of the compost, which invites mould and fungus gnats.
• Check the undersides of leaves for pests. An infestation left unchecked for two weeks can take hold badly.
• Don't feed. Fertiliser encourages soft new growth that needs more water, not less.
• Keep plants away from open windows, draughty doors and anywhere the heating or air conditioning blasts.
• Note the weather forecast. A mild, cloudy fortnight is far kinder than a hot spell, and you can adjust your watering accordingly.

On your return, don't rush to water everything. Feel the compost first, water only what's genuinely dry, and give any sad-looking plants a few days to recover in a cool, bright spot before you intervene further. Most plants forgive a fortnight of neglect far more readily than a fortnight of kindness.