Tips for Taking Care of Houseplants When You Travel

Spring is almost here. It’s the time of year when colorful flowers and lush green plants begin to grace the shelves of our local home improvement stores.  As the last cold days of winter linger, you eagerly gather a shopping cart full of Gerbera daisies, daffodils, geraniums, and Boston ferns to bring a little early spring warmth to your home.

As you arrange your new indoor garden in a sunny window, you suddenly remember you have that trip to New York next week. How will your new plants survive until you get back?

Taking care of houseplants when you travel can be tricky, especially if you don’t have a trusted neighbor or friend to care for them while you’re gone. Here are a couple of ideas that will allow you to leave on your trip knowing your plants will greet you with green leaves when you return:

1. Place all your plants inside a tray lined with small rocks or pebbles. Fill the tray with water just to the top of the rocks. Then put your plants on the tray. Place the tray in a sunny indoor location. This will especially keep smaller houseplants happy.

2. For larger houseplants use this wicking system. Place a large jar or vase filled with water next to each plant. Insert a 1 ½” nylon cord into the jar. Make sure it reaches the bottom. Take the other end of the cord and insert it three inches or more into the soil. The water should wick into your plant’s soil keeping it moist while you’re gone.

We hope you find these travel tips from Gilroy’s Best Western PLUS Forest Park Inn helpful. For more ideas, follow us on Facebook where we will post other travel tips each week.

Written by Laura Wrede, Gilroy freelance writer and photographer