While succulents are low-maintenance plants, it's normal to get worried about their health, especially if you'll be gone for a few weeks for vacation or a business trip. And even though you can rely on family or friends to care for your beloved succulents while you’re away, there are a few things you can do before leaving to keep them alive and healthy.
And here, we have shared everything you must and mustn't do before you go away on a trip, so make sure to read this post until the end to learn more.
Top Ways to Keep Succulents healthy while on vacation
1. Water Before you Leave
Compared to any other houseplants, succulents are very low maintenance. And with the ability of their roots and leaves to store water, they don't need much watering to survive. In fact, they can still thrive even without any water for about 7 to 10 days.
So if you only plan to leave your succulents for a week, giving them a good soak of water before you go should be enough to keep them healthy while you're away. Just make sure that the soil is completely dry before you water. Otherwise, it's best to leave them without watering at all.
2. Set up a Self-Watering System
No matter how drought-tolerant succulents can be, it would be a bad idea to leave them alone completely without water, especially if you'll be away for a couple of weeks.
With that in mind, we highly recommend setting up a self-watering system. You can either buy a ready-made one like a Cotton/woven string drip system or a Blumat watering stakes (w/ timer)from Amazon or at a local store near you or make one yourself using plastic bottles or buckets combined with shoelaces or any woolen string.
To do this, simply fill the plastic bottle or bucket with water and place it on a chair or any other surface that is above your plants. Place the strings or shoelaces inside the bucket/plastic bottle with water. Once done, put the other end of the string around 1 to 1.5 inches into the soil.
Note: You can put as many strings as you have plants into the bucket, to water each of them.
3. Move Plants To A Shady Area
Whether you are growing your succulents indoors or outdoors, leaving them alone under direct sunlight will not only cause them to dry faster but also risk them getting sun damage, especially if you'll be away for a month or more.
With that in mind, better move your succulents to a less sunny area before you leave. We recommend a cool shaded spot where they can get at least 3 to 4 hours of indirect or filtered sunlight a day should great, as this will be enough for your succulents to get all the light it needs to stay healthy while you're away, and at the same time, prevent the risk of getting any damage caused by the sun.
4. Optimize Indoor Temperatures
No matter the season, succulents prefer moderate temperatures (between 55 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). With that in mind, we highly recommend bringing your outdoor plants indoors, especially if you’ll be away during the Winter season, then set the thermostat low (about 12C or 53.6F) to help extend the watering cycle. Also, don’t forget to set your heat or aircon accordingly and to place your succulents in a ventilated area, like near an open window or an air vent to help them breathe, especially if you are going away in the Spring or Summer months.
If you plan to leave your succulents in the winter months and it gets super dry in your home during this time, placing the plants near each other is a great way to boost the humidity level around them while you're away.
5. Make Use of Timers
Aside from a self-watering system and moving them to a different spot, we also suggest that you invest in a plug-in timer, like a mechanical 24-hour plug timer, or set up your sprinkler on a timer before you leave to hydrate your outdoor succulents. This will help you schedule when your plants need extra light or humidity while you're not around.
6. Hire a Sitter
Hiring someone to look out for your succulents while you're away is also a great idea, especially if you have a child or even a dog or cat. Or simply ask someone to stop by at your place now and then to take care of your plants.
Just make sure to leave a written instruction to follow like how much water each of your succulents. We also suggest making a list of where all your plants are located in your house, so none of them are left un-watered while you're gone.
See more about The Best Water for Succulents
For Types of Succulents Careguide. Read more information here.
And get a free plant when your friends make an order. Sign up here!
Learn more about how to nurture and enjoy many gorgeous succulents and clever decoration tips with our newsletter. Sign up now!
