| Thursday Tips: Vacation Plant Care |
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| Written by Heleigh Bostwick Thursday, 24 May 2012 | |||
 Have you ever gone on vacation only to return home to find your houseplants or container plants drooping in the summer heat, or worse yet, with yellow or dried up leaves, or the flowers in your beautiful perennial garden wilting from lack of water? If so, there are a few simple steps you can take to ensure your plants are still in fairly good condition when you return. The first step is to move all of your houseplants out of the direct sun. If possible fill the tub or sink with several inches of water and place your potted plants in there while you’re away. They should do fine as long as there is some light filtering into the room. If this arrangement is not possible, make sure your houseplants are well watered before you leave and that there’s plenty of water in the saucer. Watering bulbs and other similar watering devices are handy while you’re on vacation too. For outdoor plants, move all container plants into the shade to conserve water and water thoroughly. If possible add a few inches of mulch to the soil. This should help the soil retain moisture longer. The same applies to perennial gardens and flower borders. If your beds are not already mulched, adding a few inches of mulch can do wonders to keep the soil moist. This is a good idea even if you have an irrigation system in place. If you don’t have an irrigation system, make sure you give your garden beds a good soaking before you leave, either the morning of or the evening before you leave the house. |
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