Your game plan for a backyard garden will be different from that for a windowsill display. Here are some general rules of thumb for indoor and outdoor displays: If you don’t have one, check out Barbosa’s DIY self-watering strategy below. And of course, you could also ask a neighbor or friend to stop by and check in on your garden for you if there are any prized plants you’re worried about. Sonam Aditya, the founder of Plant Shoppe in San Antonio, recommends moving them farther away from windows so that they will get slightly less light (and therefore, require less water)—especially if you live in a hot, sunny place. Drawing a sheer curtain can also soften the lighting on your plants, adds Leung. “We always tell people to put all their plants together so they can create a micro-system of their own,” Aditya says. “That way, all your plants are keeping each other warm and humid.” Clustering your houseplants together away from the window should extend the time they can go between waterings. Again, give all your plants a good soak, preferably in the morning, before you head off on your adventure. And remember to turn off any air conditioner units, which will leave your plants (not to mention, your bank account) parched while you’re away. Best for: Watering multiple houseplants at once Good for: 1 to 3 weeks Best for: Large houseplants and outdoor container gardens Good for: 1 to 2 weeks Best for: Garden plants Good for: 1 to 2 weeks You can read all about self-watering planters here, but the gist is that they have built-in reservoirs that store water until your plant wants to absorb it—either through its roots or using an attached wick. These reservoirs are separate from the plant itself, so you don’t need to worry about roots sitting in water and developing root rot. You can simply fill your reservoir up before you go, and it should work for one to three weeks, depending on the planter, the plant, and the conditions of your home. Leung and Aditya both caution that these planters can be hit-or-miss, though, so you might want to test one out ahead of time before leaving your plant in it unattended. Plants with shallow roots, like snake plants and cactuses, should not be placed in a self-watering planter. Thankfully, they can go a long time without water anyway.
Self-Watering Hanging Flower Pot
Self-Watering Rolling Planter
Self Watering Planter Pots, 5-Pack Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
