If you love your plants, going on holiday is always a bit of a concern. How can you help them survive while you’re away? You certainly don’t want to return to a dead urban jungle. Fortunately, you can do a number of things to avoid this. And with the blistering hot summer we’re having now, taking precautions is essential. Here are some tips to help your plants survive your holidays.

Get your plants in shape

Start giving your plants some extra care a few days before you leave on holiday. Remove any dried leaves and trim away dead parts and stems since these would use up a lot of the plants’ energy. Removing them will also reduce a plant’s need for water. Leave the plants looking as green as possible – except for their colourful flowers, of course.

Find the best spot

Then look for the best place in your house to put your plants. Choose a spot that doesn’t get that much sunlight; this way, the potting compost will retain its moisture longer. After all, direct sunlight will make the soil dry out faster – exactly what you want to prevent. Placing your plants a few meters away from a window with the curtains partially closed would be a good option or maybe the bathroom if it receives some daylight. If you have many plants, it would also be a good idea to group them together. This creates a beneficial area of higher humidity for them.

Also read: Use these 4 tips to give your plants a long happy life

Watering

The evening before you leave, give your plants another splash of water. Not too much, but just what you normally give them. Here are some ways of providing water while you’re away:

• Put some ice cubes onto the surface of the potting soil. They will melt slowly so that the roots will receive a gradual amount of water and not too much all at once.
• Use a homemade watering system. Fill an empty wine bottle with water and insert it upside-down into the potting compost.
• Use a Lechuza plant container. These pots include their own watering system that gives plants exactly the right amount of water they need for optimal growth.

With these tips, we ensure you your plants survive your holidays. But what if you’ll be gone for a long time or if you’re too worried about leaving your plants behind? Then it’s time to ask friends and family if they could take one or more of your plants home with them to care for. Enjoy your holiday!