| 15 August 2004
What should you do with your house plants while on vacation? The best suggestion is to hire a plant service to care for your plants. Here are a few tips however, if you prefer to leave your plants alone while on vacation.
For short trips, such as a long weekend, simply water the plants thoroughly before departure. Applying a layer of mulch on top of the soil will slow water evaporation. For longer trips, you can provide light by setting up an artificial plant light, or leaving the house lights on. Plants that need to be kept moist at all times can be tented with a large plastic bag. The plastic should not touch the leaves, and ventilation slits should be made in the plastic. The bathtub is also an excellent place to keep plants that require high humidity. Line the bottom of the tub with a large piece of plastic and add several layers of newspaper. Wet the newspaper thoroughly, and place the plants on the wet newsprint. Make sure there is good lighting when using the tenting or bathtub method. A Greener Image generally does year-round service, but we offer temporary service for vacationers as well.