If you’re a dedicated plant parent, the thought of leaving your green friends behind while you go on vacation can be anxiety-inducing. Whether it’s a quick getaway or a long-term trip, you might wonder how to keep your plants thriving in your absence. Fortunately, with a bit of planning, you can ensure they stay healthy and happy until your return. From simple tricks to more extensive preparations, let's explore what you need to do to provide the best care for your plants while you are away.
Plant Care for Short Vacations (Under 10 Days)
When you’re heading out for a quick vacation—say, a week or less—there’s no need to stress too much about your plants. Your plants will be perfectly fine while you're away!
The first thing to do is adjust the lighting. If you use grow lights, it’s tempting to keep them on, but your plants don’t need bright light or full-on photosynthesis when you’re not around. In fact, consider turning off all your grow lights and close any blinds that allow direct sunlight to come through the windows. By minimizing light exposure, you'll slow down photosynthesis, which also reduces how much water your plants need. No light means no growth, and no growth means fewer resources consumed—so your plants will be naturally conserving water while you're away.
Alongside this, set your thermostat to a comfortable cool temperature. If you travel during the summer, I find that 25°C (78°F) works best. If you let your home heat up beyond that, plants can start using water more quickly, which isn’t ideal when you're not there to water them. Conversely, in the winter, set it around 20°C (68°F), ensuring the temperature is warm enough to avoid any damage but cool enough to keep the plants from drying out too fast. This balance helps plants stay comfortable and hydrated, without you stressing over high energy costs.
Before leaving, give all your plants a nice, thorough drink of water. Let the water flow through the drainage holes and into the drip trays, leaving a little extra water in the trays to act as a reservoir. If you know you’ll be gone for about 10 days, leave about a quarter inch of water in the trays. That way, your plants can sip from the moisture whenever they need it, extending the amount of time they’ll stay hydrated.
Plant Care for Extended Vacations (Two Weeks or More)
Now, if you're planning a longer trip—whether it’s two weeks, a month, or even a few months—the strategy changes a bit.
For longer trips, you’ll likely need some help. Consider hiring someone to water your plants while you're gone. You might prefer to have a trusted friend or professional visit your plants once a week, but depending on the type of plants you have and how much care they need, this might need to be more frequent. Here’s the thing: you want to make their job as easy as possible. Grouping your plants together in one space is a great strategy. You likely have plants scattered throughout your home, but since you’ll be gone for a while, move them all into one area. This not only makes it easier for your plant sitter to water them efficiently, but it also creates a mini ecosystem where the plants help each other out with humidity and moisture.
One of the most important steps you can take is to prepare your grow lights. Since your plants will be getting watered every week, I set the grow lights on a timer to ensure they receive consistent light. Reduce the light exposure to 8-10 hours per day rather than the usual 12-16 hours, which is more than enough for them to maintain healthy growth without going into overdrive.
If you have plants in decorative pots without drainage holes, it’s best to repot into pots with drainage holes before you leave. Without drainage, water can collect in the bottom of the pot, leading to root rot. By having drainage holes your plant sitter will be able to see if water is draining properly and avoid overwatering, which could harm the plant.
For plants that tend to grow quickly—like Coleus, Begonias, or Pilea—this is a good time to trim them back. Cutting them down a bit before you leave helps them conserve energy and water. Plus, it’s always nice to return to plants that haven’t become overgrown while you were away. They look fresh and revitalized, ready for a new season of growth.
If you have any plants that are flowering, like orchids, you might want to consider cutting them back too. It’s not the easiest decision—those beautiful blooms are hard to let go of! But doing this allows your plants to rest, and when you return, they’ll be ready to bloom again, possibly even stronger than before.
Another tip that works wonders for small plants is to group them together in trays or shallow containers. Use any old containers that you may have around to create a shared drip tray for your smaller pots. This is especially helpful for plants that tend to dry out quickly, as they can share moisture and keep each other hydrated. It’s a simple but effective way to ensure your tiny plants aren’t suffering from dehydration while you’re away.
A Few Extra Tips for Long-Term Absences
If you're leaving for several months, taking cuttings is a good idea, especially for plants that are particularly important to you. Take cuttings from your favorite plants just in case something happens while you're gone. When you return, you’ve got a new rooted cutting ready to go.
If any of your plants are getting too large for their pots, it’s also a great time to repot them before you leave. When plants are root-bound, they use water much faster, so giving them more space will help them retain moisture longer. This also allows them to settle into their new pot, so they won’t be under stress while you’re away.
As much as you want your plants to thrive while you’re gone, it’s important to acknowledge that you might lose a few. Some plants just don’t survive long absences, and that’s okay.
Whether you’re leaving for a short trip or an extended adventure, proper planning is the key to keeping your plants healthy while you’re away. By reducing the amount of light, adjusting the temperature, grouping plants together, and having a trusted person care for them, you can ensure that your plants will be waiting for you when you get back—looking as beautiful as ever.
Safe travels and happy planting!