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House Plant care how to, for when you are on vacation
The Basics
Do you often vacation in the summer months leaving your precious houseplants behind?
Do you worry that your plants may perish in your absence?
Do not fret they can be saved.
Just do not rush home and flood their pots with water as the number one killer of houseplants is over watering. Your plants can withstand short periods without water.
Plants in nature thrive on the water they get based on the climate they exist in. So it is imperative that you read up on your houseplants natural environment. The labels on houseplants will generally provide you with this information and when in doubt take the houseplants name and variety to the web where you can also find the history and background you need to care for the plant. If you know you will be absent for an extended period of and have no one to come and water your houseplants I have a few money-saving tricks to help them thrive.
There are many new devices out there that promise to water your plants for you.
The Aqua Globe is one such product while this may do the trick of wetting the soil when it gets dry in your pot who really wants to spend their money on it.
Here's my money saving trick: Materials: disposable water bottle, rubber band, plastic wrap, and knife.
Remove the waterbottles cap you will not need it. Fill the bottle half full of water. cover the opening with two small pieces of plastic wrap securing them with a rubber band. Poke a very small hole in the center of the plastic. In your potted plant dig a shallow hole and bury the mouth of the bottle. With your knife cut a hole in the bottom of the water bottle this will release pressure and promote the waters flow into the soil as it becomes dry.