Plant Care For Travelers
I’m starting to mentally prepare for a move. Physically packing boxes is still months away, so the stage of moving I’m currently experiencing is mostly psyching myself up (“this won’t be so bad!!!”) and creating mental checklists. The checklist at the forefront of my mind: which plants will make the move with me.
My jungle is 3-ish years in the making. Before I bring a new plant home, I consider my light and cost, but the variety was always the most important factor. I wanted a diverse jungle in my home and currently have a little bit of everything crowding around my windows. The entire leafy entourage can’t come with me, so I’m thinning the overgrowth and seriously reconsidering how I’ll manage my collection of greens in the future.
Armed with experience (and haunted by the ghosts of dead plants) I’ll do things differently in the future:
High maintenance plants have no place in my house. Oh, you delicate ferns look pretty, but you’re like an Instagram Influencer addicted to FaceTune — you’re gonna crack at any moment.
Load up on “drought-resistant” plants. I need more Snake Plants in my life. They don’t care when I disappear for two weeks. My croton — on the other hand — protested my 4-day absence by dropping EVERY SINGLE ONE of its leaves. Too much drama.
Invest in the big ones. My windows sills and various other surfaces are crowded with little plants (in 6-inch pots or smaller). Not worth the lost space. Instead, I’ll fill my space with giants, like my 9-foot Fiddle Leaf Fig or my Macho Fern with the 5-foot spread.
I have two main reasons for editing my plant collection: The first being that I don’t want to drag almost 100 plants across four states. The second being that I want a travel-friendly plant collection. But not all my plants will tolerate being abandoned for weeks at a time. So, how do we care for our plants while we travel? Here are the top plant care tips for travelers:
Stabilize your home’s temperature
“Fluctuating temperatures from heating systems and cracked open windows can do serious damage to houseplants that prefer stable conditions,” Marino says. “It can be a tough task to find that happy medium between a home that’s not too cold yet not too dry in the winter months.” Erin says to move plants away from heaters or drafts, and set the thermostat to a steady 70 degrees for best results. - Via Apartment Therapy
Try a wine bottle
If you have just a few outdoor containers, you may want to opt for Plant Nanny Wine Bottle Stakes. Simply screw a wine bottle filled with water to the stake, then insert the stake into your potted plant. The water will release slowly and steadily while you're away. Depending on the plant and its water needs, you may want to use two per plant. - Via Good Housekeeping
Group your plants together
Group your plants together to help keep the air around them moist and humid, since plants release moisture through the process of transpiration. You also can set the plants in containers filled with pebbles and water. Set the plants on the pebbles, not in the water. This will also increase humidity. - Via USA Today
Ask a friend
If you’re truly worried about your plants, try to find a plant-savvy and reliable friend to help you out. “Leave your friend with clear plant care instructions, or walk them through your watering schedule a week or two beforehand,” said The Sill. The team also suggested bringing them back a souvenir as a thank you. - Via Travel + Leisure