How To Keep Your Plants Alive While On Vacation

It’s hard to enjoy your vacation if you can’t stop thinking about your plants back home. Many plant lovers know that feeling all too well, and it can sometimes keep them from taking vacations. You’re not alone if you’ve ever worried about how to keep your plants alive while you're away on vacation.

Water your plants deeply before going on vacation to keep them alive and healthy. It’s also a good idea to put mulch on the soil to reduce evaporation and improve water retention while you’re gone. If possible, group your shade-tolerant plants together in a shaded area to protect them from the sun while you’re gone.

Some people fill milk jugs with water, poke holes in the bottom, and bury them in soil beds to keep their plants moist while they’re gone. Follow along as we explore how to keep your plants alive while on vacation.

How To Help Your Plants Survive While Away

1. Organize And Group Them

Before leaving for vacation, organize and group your potted plants. You can’t do this with your plants in flower beds, but that’s okay for now. Group plants together with similar water and sunlight needs to simplify your care routine. With your them grouped by their needs, you can ensure they get the optimal amount of sunlight and water while you’re gone. This is especially important if you plan to hire someone to water your plants while you’re gone. That way, you can make it easy for them to know exactly how much water each group of plants needs.

2. Give Your Water-Loving Plants Some Shade

Grouping your plants can make life easier, but some of them may not survive a week in the sun while you’re gone. In that case, move your water-loving plants to the shade if you can’t find a plant sitter or lack a sprinkler. Potted plants and baskets can only retain so much moisture when left in direct sunlight. Carefully research your plants' needs and pay attention to how quickly they dry out before you leave.

Anything that dries out within a day or two should move into the shade before you ggo on vacation. If you don't have many trees or overhangs in your backyard, may need to create some shade. In that case, you can set up patio umbrellas, shade sails, or vertical screens. Water your potted plants once more before leaving, then tuck them under the shade as late as possible to maximize water retention. 

3. Apply Mulch

You may not realize how much mulch can help your plants retain water. Depending on how long your vacation is, you may need to do everything you can to help your plants retain water. Mulch is the best way to keep your plants alive while you’re away from home. It's absorbent enough to retain water longer than standard soil, as it reduces evaporation. That’s because it's a thick barrier that helps keep the soil cool, even on hot days.

It also slowly infuses soil with nutrients as it breaks down, which can help support healthy plant growth. You can put mulch in your flower beds and potted plants before leaving for vacation. Ideally, you should apply 1” to 2” of mulch on the soil, as anything more than that can smother your plants.

4. Utilize Your Sprinklers

Do you have a sprinkler system? If yes, you can group your plants near the sprinkler so it will water some of your plants while you’re away on vacation. However, don't put the plants directly in front of your sprinklers. Overwatering can leach key nutrients from the soil, and your plants may die.

You may need to experiment to find the ideal distance between your potted plants and the sprinklers. Keep in mind that you should only put drought-sensitive plants in your sprinkler’s path. Overwatering drought-tolerant plants can leave them susceptible to fungal diseases and erosion.

5. Use A Milk Jug

If you have any milk jugs at home, you may not need to worry about your plants while you’re away. You can use an empty milk jug as a makeshift drip irrigation system. Poke a few holes in the bottom of the jug, bury it in the soil, and fill it with water. Water will slowly drip into the surrounding soil, keeping your plants hydrated while you’re gone. This is primarily useful in soil beds with water-loving flowers and vegetables.

Some people prefer to keep the jug on top of the soil, rather than bury it. That can be effective, but the jug may move while you’re gone, especially during extreme weather. Your best bet is to bury the jug. This practice is useful even when you’re not gone, as it makes watering your garden easier.

6. Harvest Fruits And Vegetables

Do you have a nice fruit and vegetable garden? If so, it’s a good idea to harvest ripe produce before going away on vacation. You must harvest vegetables when they’re ready, or the plant may stop producing them. If you don’t want to waste the fruits and vegetables, you can give them away to a friend, neighbor, or family member. By the time you get back from vacation, more fruits and vegetables may be ready to harvest.

7. Water Them Heavily

Water your plants heavily before leaving for vacation to ensure they survive. Most plants can go longer without water than you think. However, they do best when they’ve recently have enough water to withstand a change in their routine. Deep watering your plants is especially effective if you’ve already mulched them. The mulch will stop the water from running through the soil too quickly. This should be enough to keep your plants alive while on vacation if you’re only gone for a few days. Otherwise, it should at least keep them healthy until it rains or a plant sitter comes by.

8. Enlist Help

It’s hard to keep your plants alive while on vacation without enlisting help if you plan to be gone for a week. To get some peace of mind, ask a friend, neighbor, or family member to water your plants while you’re gone. They should at least water your plants a few times. That’s especially true if it’s not going to rain while you’re gone. Of course, you should still water your plants deeply before leaving to give them the best shot at thriving while you’re gone.

Once you find a plant sitter, you should make a detailed list of your plants and their needs. If possible, invite the plant sitter over so you can show them your plants and highlight your watering routine. You can even label your plants if needed to make the process easier for the plant sitter.

Summing It Up

The best way to keep your plants alive while on vacation is to water them deeply before leaving. It also helps to group your plants together based on their sunlight and water needs. Mulch your plants to help them retain water, and hire someone to water your plants while you’re on vacation to ensure they survive.

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