In this blog, we give you 5 tips so you don’t neglect your housemates during your well-deserved vacation.
Summer is just around the corner and you've probably already made your vacation plans! Whether you're stuck in traffic jams with your caravan to the south of France or bivouacking in a cabin in the Veluwe, your green housemates are going to miss you. Luckily, we've thought of them! In this blog, we give you 5 tips so you don't neglect your housemates during your well-deserved vacation.
1. Less sunlight
The less light plants get, the less water they need for photosynthesis. But don't move all your plants to a dark basement right now, because too little light doesn't draw them in either. Move your plants a few feet away from the window or close the curtains a little further. That way your green friend will soon do a little longer with his water reserves.
2. Water enough before leaving
This is the obvious one, but make sure that all your plants are well watered just before you leave. If you can, put your plants under the tap for a while so that the soil is well watered, but no water remains at the bottom of the pot. That way they will still last a few extra days without your loving attention. Flying to Sweden for example? Dried flowers are called in Swedish ‘’födelsedagsblommor’’ or ‘’växter online” for example and need enough water before you leave for a sunny holiday to Spain.
3. On a diet
This may sound a bit unexpected, but extra nutrition actually makes a plant more active to grow. This takes more energy and therefore more water to get that growth done. If you normally feed your plant extra food, it is wise to stop a week before the vacation.
4. Green company
While you are away, your friends could use some green company to counteract the loneliness. When you put plants close together in a small space, they create higher humidity and your plants will thrive on that. You can also put your plant club in the bathroom or behind the shower curtain, if there is normal daylight there, of course.
5. Buy or craft an irrigation system
- Put your plants in a saucer or container with a layer of water in it, so the roots can soak it up when you are away. This will delay dehydration for longer. It is important to wet your plants before you leave.
- Provide your plants all with their own irrigation system. Good examples are Waterworks and Blumat. Stick the terracotta pipe deep into the pot (be careful not to push too hard, you'll damage the roots) and fill it with water. Because the lower part of the pipe is not glazed, the water drips slowly through the pipe into the soil. So your plant will get water continuously.
- Tip: If your plant is very large or you are going on vacation for more than two weeks, the Blumat is a better option than the Waterworks. The terracotta pipe is connected with a hose to a separate pot of water so the water in the pipe can never run out.
- If you'd rather not buy anything, you can also craft this watering system yourself. Cut a good chunk off the bottom of an empty water bottle. Remove the cap from the bottle and make three small holes in it. Stretch a piece of pantyhose over the opening of the bottle (this prevents the holes from filling up with soil). Twist the cap over the pantyhose on the bottle and insert the bottle upside down deep into the soil. Pour the bottle full of water; the bottle will slowly water the earth from now on. Finally, go on a nice vacation.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
