Plants on vacation: What to do if you are going to spend a few days away from home?

The duration of your getaway will determine the most appropriate system but, in any case, you should look for a watering plan for your plants on vacation if you do not want to find them wilted on your return.

Caring for these living beings that only need a few hours of sunshine and some water is almost therapeutic. Their benefits far outweigh the obligations involved and it is only fair to reciprocate. The old traditional method of entrusting the watering of plants to a helping hand (relative, neighbor or similar) is an option.

But if the task of involving a third party does not seduce you too much, the first thing to do is to organize your garden. If you have many plants, try to group them in a cool and light place.

Make sure, however, that it is a suitable setting for their needs, since too much sun, for example, can wreak havoc. With a suitable location you will not only ensure their survival, but you will also facilitate the watering of all of them, whether you delegate the responsibility to someone else or use a specific system.

In general, the only thing that your plants will not be able to do without in your absence is watering. Depending on the number of days you will be away, it will be more or less appropriate to choose one watering system or another.

The dosing cones, for example, are perfect mechanisms for all types of pots. The duration of this system will depend on your needs but can reach up to 15 days of self-supply.

Within this category there are different models. There are those that come ready to attach a bottle, others have an adapter that is connected to a container with water and there are even original solutions that, in addition to being practical, are decorative. In general, these cones are ceramic and are simply stuck into the ground.

The porosity of the material in which the cones are made depends on the speed of the water supply but, in any case, they are an economical and practical solution.

Another simple and effective option is gelled water. Unlike the cones, this formula is presented in gel form and it is enough to place it in contact with the soil to provide the amount that the plant needs.

For a two-week vacation it is a perfectly effective system. Although if you do not want to gamble, you can always place a couple of units per pot just in case. And if in addition to feeding your plants you want something decorative, the ball version for pots or vases is ideal.

Plant care has not escaped the revolution of new technologies. So-called smart pots have also reached the gardening sector. These devices not only provide the necessary water to your plants. Thanks to their sensors, they are able to analyze issues such as light, fertilizer level, temperature... In case of deficiencies, they send notifications to the owner's cell phone. Simply sublime.

Hydroponic planters and self-watering pots are alternatives for vacations. Thanks to the capillary principle and their integrated water reservoir, they provide plants with the water they need.

Apart from sophisticated gadgets or commercial devices, you can always create your own home drip irrigation system. A two-liter bottle with a perforated cap or a cotton string buried in the ground at one end and the other in a container with water will also be of great help.

Automatic watering kits can be your salvation if you have a lot of pots or want to completely forget about complications. In gardening stores you will find all kinds of alternatives, although most of them emulate the drip irrigation system of the dosing cones.

If you already have a drip irrigation system or your concern has to do with a garden that is usually watered with a hose or sprinklers, there is also a solution. Programmers will be great allies. These devices are connected to the faucet itself and are responsible for opening or closing the mechanism according to your instructions.