The holiday season is here and many of us will be packing our bags and planning trips to visit friends and family, or to just enjoy a much needed break away from home. Before we can catch up with loved ones or relax on a tropical beach, we need to think about how we're going to keep our plants alive and thriving while we're away. Here are some of our best holiday travel plant care tips to round out 2023.
1. Give your plants a home in self-watering pots
We might be biased, but one of the best advantages of self-watering pots is that they are super great at keeping plants happy, healthy, and well-watered while plant parents are out and about.
Self-watering pots aren't just great for Christmas holiday travel either. Work trips, weekends away, impromptu travel needs - these are likely to happen to most of us at least a few times throughout the year. When the need for travel arises, you don't want to leave your plants high and dry. Self-watering pots are an absolute game changer in plant-sitting because they take care of your plant's watering needs for you.
2. Fill your CUP O FLORA self-watering pot to the halfway point before you travel
This isn't recommended for everyday usage or if you're only travelling for a few days, BUT it is certainly okay to add a little extra water to your CUP O FLORA to make sure your plants have enough water while you're away on extended trips. We recommend only doing this once a year.
Fill your pot to around the halfway mark, and it can help keep your plants watered for up to 4 weeks, depending on the size of the pot, foliage and temperature within your home while you’re away.
3. Make sure your plant isn't left in direct sunlight
This is a general recommendation for plants in CUP O FLORA pots, but it's especially important to take note if you plan to be away from home for a longer period of time. Sitting in direct sunlight can cause your plant to quickly dry out (especially in the heat of Australian summer).
4. If you can, have someone stop by to check in on your plants
Finding a trusted friend or family member who is happy to stop by and do a quick welfare check on your plants once every few days is a great extra measure to take while you're away this holiday season. Ask them to check the water level of your CUP O FLORA pots and do a quick top up, if need be. They could also check the leaves of your plants for any spots, wilting or other signs of sickness and give your plants a boost with some plant food, if needed.
5. Revert water levels when you return
When you're back home, after filling your CUP O FLORA pots halfway while being away, it's important to set them back into their regular self-watering lifestyle. Simply remove all the water from the reservoir, let the plant sit for a few days, allowing the soil to dry out a little, then, once the plant has readjusted, refill the water level to the usual 2 cm mark.
Voila! Now, you're ready to pack your bags and travel with peace of mind that your plants will enjoy happy holidays at home.