Keep your plants alive whilst you are on holiday with this self-watering hack

17 December 2023 , 13:00

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Keep your plants alive whilst you are on holiday with this self-watering hack (stock image) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Leaving plants when you go away on a trip can undo a lot of the effort you put into them, however experts say there is no need to splurge on expensive garden equipment to keep plants hydrated.

Experts have said that the simple plastic greenhouse method - which is pocket-sized - will keep your plants hydrated without having to invest in expensive equipment. All you need to do is place a plastic bag over the plants you'd like to keep alive.

This will create an environment similar to the interior of a mini greenhouse. The bag will make sure to keep all the water that evaporates from the plants is captured and subsequently passed back down the plant as water droplets.

That's how the plant will keep hydrated, as the water that evaporates from it will have nowhere to escape. The cost-efficient and low-maintenance hack is expert-approved and is said to keep your plants healthy until you get back, Express reports.

The method is also not something that will stop working after a week or two. If you are away for a long period this method can still be used and will work well unsupervised, so it can be used as both a short-term and long-term solution to keeping your plants healthy and hydrated.

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All you are going to need is a plastic bag and some wooden pegs or weights of some sort to keep the bag in place. Step one: Put four wooden stakes in each corner of your plant pot, this will be the base of your tent

Step two: Water your plant as normal and make sure it’s moving away from direct sunlight. Too much sun would lead to overheating of the bag and ultimately the plan, this could dehydrate the plant.

Step three: Make sure the bag is big enough to cover your plant, there should be space between the plant and the bag. You can use this method on any houseplants, you will just need to adjust the plastic bag size if the plants are bigger or smaller.

This method is not recommended on succulents and this is not the environment they thrive in. Also, succulents can be left without water whilst you are away for a while - unless you are away for longer than three months.

Mariam Khan