How I Keep 24 Plants Alive on Vacation as a Pro Plant Writer

When I moved into my sunny Los Angeles apartment, I had one goal: Fill it with as many plant varieties as I could keep alive. I currently have about two-dozen plants — from a big, bushy monstera to rubber trees scattered throughout my space. I also leave town a lot, like nearly once a month, because my husband is a touring musician and I’m lucky enough to get to travel with him. Being gone for weeks at a time has helped me learn how to keep my plants alive when I’m on vacation or any other type of trip.

At first, it was daunting leaving my beloved houseplant collection to fend for itself. But after eight years of perfecting my travel plant care — and learnings from some lost plants along the way — there are a few things I do in order to keep my plants happy. Combining my experience and advice from Kaitlin Mitchell, founder of Rutabaga Tools and a houseplant and garden expert, here are the best plant care tips for when you’re away.

The First Thing to Do for Plants Before Going on Vacation

Before you settle on a plant care plan and head out of town for any amount of time, Mitchell says to first check the weather forecast. “It’s good to know if you’ll get scorching heat or cloud cover [so you can] position plants closer to or farther from light sources like windows or skylights,” she explains.

Additionally, if you have some plants you don’t think can handle a little neglect, it might be worth leaving them with a friend while you’re away. I’m too scared to move my fiddle leaf fig tree (she doesn’t need to lose another leaf) but will occasionally leave my more delicate houseplants with a friend to ensure they stay happy.

How to Care for Plants When You’re Away for a Weekend

Skipping town for a weekend is no biggie when it comes to plant care. However, you don’t want to forget about your plants altogether. By making some small environment and schedule adjustments — plus using a great watering hack — your plants won’t even notice you left.

Push your watering schedule.

No matter how long I plan to be gone, I always try to push my watering schedule to the very last second so that my plants have enough hydration while I am away. If I have plants that can’t afford to miss a watering — or if I accidentally forgot to water them the previous week — I’ll give my plants about half the usual amount on their regular cadence and then top them off before I leave.

Add ice cubes to the pot tray.

If you have a plant that errs on the thirsty side, you can add a couple of ice cubes to the plant pot’s tray. “Water will slowly seep in right at the root system,” Mitchell says. The key is to place the ice cubes in the tray right before you leave so that you don’t waste any melting time.

While this might not be necessary for all of your plants (especially if you were able to push your watering schedule), it’s great for those that need some extra hydration or if the weather forecast calls for scorching temperatures that might transform your home into a temporary sauna without the air conditioning running.

Check your blinds.

Mitchell recommends keeping your blinds cracked so that some light still gets through to the plants. I live in an apartment with built-in vertical blinds and semi-sheer white curtains on top (to hide the blinds — they’re not my favorite). Whenever I leave for a weekend, I keep the blinds open and close the curtains, that way, some filtered light will still make its way to my plants. I can get away with this because my entire apartment has west-facing windows, so the afternoon sun pours into my space.

How to Care for Plants When You’re Away for a Week or Longer

Leaving for a week or more requires a little more thought, but it’s not as complicated (or stressful) as you might think. With a few small adjustments and some helpful tools, you can ensure your plants still get the attention they need.

Use a self-watering system.

If you’re concerned about dry plants, self-watering systems like glass bulbs or clay ollas can come in handy. I purchased a pack of these watering bulbs a few years ago, and I use them so often. All you have to do is fill them up with water and stick them into your plant’s soil. The plant will then draw water out of the bulbs when it’s thirsty.

If you don’t want to spend more money on plant accessories, you can also achieve a similar effect through bottom watering, which is when you fill the plant pot’s dish with water. Just make sure your plant pot has a drainage hole so that the soil can actually absorb the water as needed.

If your plant is in a porous terracotta pot that doesn’t have drainage, you can place it inside another pot — make sure it also doesn’t have drainage and is non-porous — to create a cache pot effect. Fill the outer pot with water, place the terracotta pot inside, and it’ll absorb moisture to water the plant.

Skip plant nutrients.

Before heading out for a week or longer, you might be inclined to feed your plants nutrients so they don’t go hungry while you’re away, but Mitchell says you’re better off skipping. “The nutrients will support growth and require energy,” she explains. “Avoiding fertilizer will help them grow slower,” Mitchell says.

Invest in grow lights.

If you have concerns about lighting, Mitchell also recommends buying some grow lights that you can stick in your planter or above your plant so that your plants receive enough light while you’re away. If possible, find ones with a timer so that you can program them before you leave.

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