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Apartment Living | July 14, 2022

This Ingenious TikTok Hack Will Keep Your Plants Alive While You're Away

Houseplants are a joy to grow and are great green additions to any home that help create a space you love. However, if you need to leave your house for more than a few days, you may wonder how to keep plants watered while on vacation. With all the additional worries that come with leaving your home for an extended time, any aspect of home maintenance you don’t have to worry about while you’re on vacation is a godsend.

 

 

 

If you’re unsure how to keep plants watered while away on vacation or on an extended trip, you don’t need to look any further. From tried and true methods used for years to trending TikTok plant hacks, it’s never been easier to find the best indoor plant watering methods that work for you while you’re away.

How to Keep Plants Watered While on Vacation

1. Shower Your Plants

Yes, the first method for keeping indoor plants healthy and hydrated before heading out on vacation will be to shower your plants. Here’s what you need to do:

  • Put a towel down in the shower to protect your tub from plant containers that could scratch the surface

  • Gather all of your small to medium-sized plants

  • Place them on top of the towel in your shower

  • Turn your shower on and let your houseplants soak up all of the water

Not only will thoroughly watering your plants in the shower save you time, but it will also let your houseplants soak up enough water to stay hydrated for up to one to two weeks. 

 

 

 

This watering method is essential because it not only gives your plants the healthy amount of water they will need while you’re away, but you’ll also want to ensure that your plants are thoroughly watered for the following ingenious watering methods.

2. The Water-Wicking Method

This genius TikTok hack has spread like wildfire amongst plant lovers and houseplant owners. Not only is it creative, but this method for watering indoor plants while you’re away is easy to set up. To successfully recreate the water-wicking method, you will need:

  • A reservoir for excess water (generally a bucket or a large bowl will work)

  • Cotton macrame rope or other rope that soaks up water

  • Scissors

To ensure your houseplants are happy and healthy while you’re away with the water-wicking method, here are the steps to follow:

  • Fill up a bowl or bucket with water

  • Place your rope in the bowl of water

  • Insert the other end of the rope as far down into the soil of your plant as possible (being careful not to disturb the plant’s roots)

  • Make sure that the rope is secure in the soil

As water is taken in by your plant or evaporates into the air, the water from the reservoir will travel alongside the rope and into your plant’s soil. 

 

 

 

This method is perfect for keeping multiple plants watered at one time while you’re away. However, it generally works best on small to medium-sized plants. You might need numerous ropes leading to the same plant for larger plants. The more plants you connect to the same water reservoir, the more water you may need depending on how long you will be gone.

3. Self-Watering Planters

Self-watering indoor plant containers are another easy method to keep your houseplants watered while you’re away on vacation. You can buy self-watering planters or create some with minimal effort. Self-watering containers are regular containers with drainage holes but sit on a reservoir filled with water. As water is taken into the plant or evaporates, the water will soak up through the soil at the bottom of the container and work its way up to the plant roots. 

 

 

 

To create your version of a self-watering planter, you can place your plants with drainage holes in the bottom of the container and put them in a tray, bin, or bowl of an inch or two of water.

4. DIY Drip Water System

This method of watering plants while you’re away involves making a DIY drip system that easily inserts into the soil of your houseplants. However, this method may become time-consuming if you have a lot of indoor plants. Here’s how to do it:

  • Find an empty plastic water bottle

  • Poke some holes near the bottom of the plastic water bottle

  • Place the plastic bottle into the soil of your plant

  • Make sure the water holes are covered

  • When the bottle is secure, fill the water bottle up with water

As soil becomes dry, the water will leave the water bottle through the poked holes and water your plant while you’re away. You can duplicate this method with wine bottles as well.

5. The Watering Bulb Method

The watering bulb method is almost as easy as the TikTok plant hacks listed above. Watering bulbs will usually need to be purchased unless you know your way around blown glass. Watering bulbs are typically made of glass, and they are bulbs that are filled with water and stuck into the soil of a plant. Over time, the water will drip from the watering bulb and into the soil, keeping it watered. Watering bulbs are an excellent option for hard-to-kill indoor plants.

The Bottom Line

No matter how hard you try, the odds are that at some point or another, you will need to find a way to water your indoor plants while you’re away from your home. Whether you have plants that are hard to kill or plants with sensitive and regimented watering schedules, combining these watering methods will ensure that your plants stay happy and hydrated. 

 

 

 

 

Of course, if you plan to be away for a more extended period, even the hard-to-kill plants in your home office may still need to have someone come and check on them. But by implementing one or more of these methods, you will be set up for success and be able to enjoy your time away without concern for your botanical beauties.

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