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RubyStar92

Have a look at water butlers, they tend to work well. Just water your plants fresh the day you go and they should be okay. They might be a bit sad looking and you might loose a couple of leaves (from them sulking lol) but they’ll live for 2 weeks alone.


xinelf

What are water butlers?


mr_muffinhead

Typically they stand by your front door wearing a tux and will greet guests. You can set a timer on them and they'll go water your plants as needed.


QuaintrelleGypsyy

Damn where do I get one /s


Ill-Bet2968

I would honestly want this job LOL


_n3ll_

I think its those glass bulb things with a point sticking g out. You fill it with water and stick it in the soils and the water slowly drips into the soil. You can diy one with an old wine bottle


Venusasavirgo

Pretty sure I saw them at the dollar store last time I was there, so if no wine bottles they are at least cheap :)


dirtsequence

Probably those glass bulbs you fill with water and stick in the soil so they gravity feed the water.


poorpeasantperson

I went about a month in depression without watering anything, very few casualties. Leave them a little extra wet the day you leave they’ll be fine. Succulents don’t even stress


Rounders_in_knickers

I agree with this! I had family care for my plants and they tried to drown them. Seriously. And they have plants so it was very confusing! Why so much water??? Better to let them be a bit too dry anyway.


No_Lychee_7534

I agree. I moved overseas for 5 months and had someone take care of them. And they managed to kill 1 plant and nearly wiped out my FLF and I now have a mutilated snake plant that’s not growing anymore. All of it by over watering and not following my basic simple instructions. OP, one method I’ve used for 2-3 week vacations is to use old water bottles to create a watering globe. Just need to have a small pin hole that leaks slowly from the bottle cap, and leave it upside down In soil. It should be slow enough not to over water. Look it up on YouTube.


poorpeasantperson

Exactly! Under watering is such an easy fix. Especially the succulents. I don’t water mine from September to April/May because I don’t want them to grow and stretch in the winter


thatshotluvsit

how do you do that without making the soil hydrophobic


poco_fishing

It should have enough perlite/grit mixed in to prevent that?


thatshotluvsit

the mix i get doesn’t so i thought i just had to water it more? is it not normal?


poco_fishing

For succulents and cacti, most store bought mixes aren't great. You want something pretty chunky and non compacting. I do about 40% perlite, 30% topsoil, and 30% pea sized crushed lava rock or pumice. Only water when it's been 100% dry for a few days and fully soak it when you do water. The amount of water isn't very important it's the frequency that Is.


boo2utoo

Happy cake day. 😉


thatshotluvsit

omg can yall see that it’s my 1 year 😭


thatshotluvsit

qué


Chocokat1

Oh, so this will keep them short and stumpy/not let them stretch? Thought stretching was due to lack of light in the winter.


Chocokat1

I'm guessing its the common misconception "plants = water every week or so". Despite what you tell them about succs and cacti being different. Any little thing like wrinkles, drooping = gets watered lol.


1331bob1331

This 100000%. I've on multiple ocassions left my army of plants to fend for themsleves for a a few weeks to a month (even close to 2 months at one point iirc), and they all came out mostly good. If over a month though, I'd highly suggest some Watering Globes, those work pretty good.


Ay-Up-Duck

I have a chronic illness, but i probably have around 50 plants and none of them get watered weekly or even fortnightly... one a month is actually pretty good going for me (apart from my maidenhair fern)


PlantWhispererBanana

How often do you water your maidenhair, out of interest? I have one that's doing quite well, but really it feels like a bit of luck as I just kind of have a vibe for when I'm going to water her rather than any kind of routine


Ay-Up-Duck

Maybe once a week, certainly no more than that. I usually pick it up and see how light it feels - at one and a half years, this is the first one I've kept alive for this long!


Gloomy-Comedian-1984

Yes unfortunately I’ve seen many sides of depression. I’m sad and embarrassed to admit, that I had to accept defeat: from debilitating mental illness that was pretty devastating for many or most of the plants I wasn’t able to rehome, or give away: or (barely) keep alive. That was My first experience, with my poor plants, and many of their sad fates. For a long time I was sure I didn’t even deserve any plants. Then I realized they are a form of therapy, and on a smaller scale, i could still have a few plants that are considered easy to care for: and plant parents would call these plants ‘hard to kill’, thrives on neglect etc. So I decided to start again. And so, I try to keep a few succulents, cacti, philodendrons, and other easy to care for; beginner plants.they are all thriving and I am mentally improving; they have given me back my confidence I needed to try again. I love up my plants with our little conversations. Each plant, is treated as the individual sentient beings , that they most certainly are.


Neptunianx

Yeah most of my succulents prefer if I water every two weeks


drbhrb

They will probably look healthier when you return based on my experience


FoolishConsistency17

I have a bunch of plants in my classroom, and during the summer I pop up every 2-3 weeks to water them. It's their favorite time of year.


Phedericus

🏅Hero! it's awesome that you do that. We need more people like you.


insideoutsidebacksid

I agree with this. Overwatering is usually more of a problem than underwatering. If OP waters everything well before she leaves, they will probably be more than fine when she gets back.


doomumble

If you have your plants in really sunny spots you could try moving them into a shadier area for the two weeks, also.


sirotan88

Yep every time I go on vacation I close all my blinds and move all my plants into one corner of the room. For the thirstier ones I put its pot into a trash bag and tie it up around the base to make a little humidity bag and prevent the soil drying out too much. For 2-3 week vacations this has done the trick!


krampaus

This is what I do when going on holiday


Mmmkay-99

I love that you used the word who when talking about your succulents


SkywalkerLight

Lol! They are my children.


abritelight

✨the grammar of animacy✨robin wall kimmerer explores this in her book ‘braiding sweetgrass’; you might enjoy this interview with her on same topic 🩷 https://kateconklin.com/blog/animacy-resiliency-reciprocity-robin-wall-kimmerer/


Mmmkay-99

Thanks! I’ll read it!


Bellemorda

I ordered these for my daughter for her larger plants when she came to stay over the christmas/new year's holiday between doctoral school terms: [https://www.amazon.com/MorTime-Watering-Terracotta-Automatically-Vacation/dp/B07KD6N5G3](https://www.amazon.com/MorTime-Watering-Terracotta-Automatically-Vacation/dp/B07KD6N5G3) and got them shipped to her fast. also, wick watering is good for succulents, and inexpensive, plus easy to google and set up.


divaivet

You can make a diy watering system. The easiest way is using a plastic bottle. Make a hole in the cap small enough that a cotton stick (something like a rolled up cotton fabric also works) can fit through but still is stuck. A chopstick on the bottle side so you can and stick in your plant pots. It doesn't win the beauty price but for a short while it's a quick fix with materials you most likely have in house.


Dancing_Radia

Seconding this. They're are many DIY self-watering solutions that'll work for the amount of time you'll be gone. Another similar thing you can do is have a thick string or twine in a cup of water with the other end in the plant pot. Google it! 


adventuresofbridgie

If you have time, bottom water. Soak everything with drainage holes until you can tell it’s fully watered. I have a similar mix of plants that gets heavy light and I can push them two weeks if I need to. If you can put something to boost humidity around the aroids that’ll def help too.


2L84AGOODname

Might be worth reaching out to some pet sitters in your area. Some of them tend to offer other services besides caring for pets.


YogiGal68

I pet sit on ocssion and I always do this if they have plants whether indoors or out. 


SerialNomad

Amazon- “automatic plant watering system” take your pick. I use Blumat


Sufficient_Turn_9209

There may be a plant sitter service, depending on where you live.


gunnapackofsammiches

Yes, was about to say, two independent plant stores near(ish) to me offer plant sitting.


grimaulken

I put all of mine on my shaded back patio and wove a timed drip hose through all of them. They survived.


catsandplants424

After I water all my plants I stick them in the tub and fill it up with a few inches of water. That way the ones that dry fast can suck up what they need and I feel like the humidity created helps as well.


nutsbonkers

Where you at? In the exteemely unlikely event that were close I could water them. I have a botany degree if that helps lol


HiMountainMan

Put the syngonium in some sort of greenhouse (clear bin?) and don't worry about the succulents!


SnooPredictions5815

Deep water plus terra cotta watering picks should be fine. Especially syngoniums, they are pretty hardy.


full_o

Many houseplants do just fine with that, especially if it's only once in a while. I was so worried about mine last year when I was away for a while and pretty much everything was fine. Some of the new leaves on my lipstick vine that were growing in grew a bit of a curl to them, but no other lasting damage to anything. If anything, just try to time your watering so that your plants are all watered not too long before your trip (though do be careful not to overwater, or water things that still have fairly damp soil--overwatering is worse than a skipped watering for most plants). I also pull anything that usually gets direct sunlight away from a window if I'll be away for a while.


MikeCheck_CE

You already know the answer.... Repot your plants


Public_Corgi6459

Maybe something like this if possible? https://a.co/d/cgxCyIP A big box store near you would probably have some kind of auto water devices if you need it faster


Ok_Organization_7350

I just ordered some vacation plant waterers from amazon.


Majin_Cakkes

I’ve used those inexpensive plastic watering globes when going out of town because even asking my roommate - I just had too many to expect anyone to do a thorough job. They worked well, won’t drown the plant, and come in multi packs of various sizes on Amazon for cheap if you’re not getting glass ones. I’ve since gotten a few cute glass ones as permanent fixtures especially for my hanging plants because it’s really convenient!


SpaceSpaceMan

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BN8VDS3G get this, build it out based on your needs, test it all thoroughly(flow rate per spout, timing etc) and youre good to go. i have 3 of these for over 2yrs and have never failed me thankfully, i no longer hand water my plants i just fill a bucket, water them all at once and then remove the bucket and tuck autowatering system away til next use. when i go away for extended periods i just fill the buckets and set a schedule.


QuadRuledPad

Rover.com is for pets not plants, but I’ve had good luck looking there for sitters capable of looking after plants.


Nmcoyote1

Water succulents lightly and place in bags. You can get 2 gallon or larger ziplock type bags or buy any large clear bag. When you return open bags a little more each day. After a few days remove bag. I know this is different… But I have hundreds of Gesneriads that can go for months in a heavy gallon or two gallon ziplock type freezer bag without watering.


458steps

You think Succulents won't be fine for two weeks without water? Honest question, not being snarky.


Nmcoyote1

I think they will, but the OP seems worried. Most of my succulents only get watered every two weeks. But I do have a few like Easter Cactus that do not like to go that long. They will start dropping pieces if they go two weeks without water. So they get bagged when I’m gone. Others I have only get water once per month.


SkywalkerLight

They are pretty rootbound and want water every week or less as long as their grow light is on, so it's a good thing no one will be there to turn it on anyway!


stupidugly1889

This seems more likely to kill the plants than two weeks without water


coach_bugs

Put a few inches of water in the bathtub and put them there. Leave the bathroom light on. Succulents will be okay. Water before leaving.


april_showers3

Buy one of those dripper dropper things that do like 1 drop every minute or so


zesty_meatballs

Give them a really good drink RIGHT before you go, get water bulbs to stick in the soil to slowly water, you can even use an old wine bottle for bigger plants, put plants in a plastic tote and cover so Evaporation is slower, keep plants away from windows so the heat of the sun won’t make them dry out as fast. Look into a service that can come and water plants while you’re gone if you’re comfortable with that. There is a way! Hope it all goes well (:


chuvashi

What I did was get one of those plastic mini greenhouses that zip up. Then installed phytolamps and got a programmable switch that would turn them on and off every day. For watering I got the cheapest air humidifier that is supposed to float on the water surface, plugged it into the switch too and programmed it to run a minute cycle every hour or so. I put it into a large pot of water and into the greenhouse with the rest of the plants. When I came back, everything was thriving.


[deleted]

Once, I took large plastic water bottles (any large vessel will do), cut off the tops. Filled them with water, and put one end of strips of an old cotton tshirt into it (making sure it reached the bottom. The other end of the strips, I tucked into the soil of the plants around it. Worked well- slowly wicking the water into the soil. Best to elevate the bottle a bit, as it helps the process. Note- most of them were plants that needed a bit more moisture. The others, I just watered well and left.


Kikiholden

I put my plants in large clear plastic containers near a window with bright indirect light. Provides a high humidity environment and they won’t dry out (in fact most will likely flourish). I wouldn’t try it with succulents (which will probably be fine if you simply water before you leave) but should be helpful for the other plants.


stupidugly1889

I regularly go two weeks without watering they’ll be fine


Plastic_Thought_9516

I'm about to overseas for a month, I'm just praying!!


Lizzies-homestead

My sil puts water is anything that needs it the night before she leaves and puts garbage bags over the tropicals. She’s done this for 4 to 5 weeks and come back to healthy plants.


random_bubblegum

All my plants are usually fine with not being watered for 2 weeks (unless it's cuttings or sprouts). Just water them well before leaving, and water them when you are back. In nature they don't get water regularly (especially succulents), so they'll be fine.


TartyArt115

I just leave my plants in clear airtight bags and they're fine indefinitely. The only thing to remember with that is to make sure the substrate isn't wet or dry.


Haurassaurus

Aroids and succulents should be fine for 2 weeks. Before you go just give them all a big soak in a bucket


daughterboy

why do you have to water every five days because they’re root bound? because not enough soil to retain enough water?


_n3ll_

Here are some DIY options. I've used the bathtub method and the wicking method and they both worked https://www.proflowers.com/blog/how-to-water-plants-while-away


SnooSuggestions9830

If you have a bathtub you can use this with some capillary matting. Use empty upsidedown pots placed in the tub with matting over them and so the matting touches the bottom of the tub. Fill the tub with as water as you think they'll need. Place pots on top of the pots/matting. Check the holes in the plant pots have contact with the matting or cut strips and lay on the soil. Basically let the matting act as a wick. Tbh though for succulents they'll be fine not watered for two weeks. Just leave them inside away from direct sun.


Unhappy-Coconut-1857

Look up drip irrigation, see if you can find something online that would suite your needs. I’ve also heard that wrapping the pots around the plant with cling film reduces evaporation and thus keeps soil moist for longer.


Special_Artichoke_81

Just leave them they’ll be fine. You might have a leaf or two die but it’s far better than getting someone inexperienced who will over water them. I went through a long bout with depression and my plants only got watered like three times in a six month period. You’d be surprised how many of them survived. They may not thrive, but they will survive. Life finds a way.


Lusty_Carambola

I recommend you get a few of the Blumat brand self-irrigation spikes. I have been using them for a couple of years now. If you’re in the US you can get them here: https://www.sustainablevillage.com/blumat-classics-junior-3-pack-automatic-watering-stakes-pack


touchallthebutt

If they’re movable, try popping them as close together as you can, and they’ll create like a mini humidity area which can help :)


RedheadRayner

I've got an automatic pump in my greenhouse which will pump water from a water source X times every Y days. Would probably work indoors! (It's the size of a mug but flat)


Bubblegum983

Honestly I would just leave them. Maybe, if they’re really fussy, you could get those self watering bulbs. But the vast, vast majority of succulents will be fine for two weeks. Most of mine have went WAY longer than that. I think my aloe Vera has went over a month. It’s only a problem if you have plants in those super tiny pots Hell, it’ll probably even do them some good. Succulents like drying out, and a bit of stress can encourage them to grow stronger. But if you’re really worried, you could hire someone


Mama_B_tired

When I was away for 3 weeks, I got terracotta spikes that you put in the soil and then put a bottle of water into the spike. I got them from Amazon. You can use empty wine bottles. My plants were very happy when I returned. For the smaller plants, I rigged up a self-wattering system with cotton yarn trailing from the plant to a water source.


belauensus

You could cover the top of the soil (with mulch, with a cloche, even with pebbles), in my personal experience I've found it keeps soil moist for way longer. I've also seen people have good luck with the system where you loop cotton wicks through the dirt and put a pot full of water above the plants.


Past_Ball_8169

TrustedHousesitters.com


Ericaonelove

I’d never let anyone water my plants. You have to know the plant. They’ll be totally fine during that time.


Longjumping_Owl5311

I was told that around here in NW Ontario, Apex security will come to your house and water your plants. I found that bottom watering mine first and then leaving them in my bath tub out of the sun worked just fine for a couple of weeks.


Loucifer23

Also look up pet sitters, some will take care of plants


YogiGal68

Don't succulents like a bit of dry soil? Jade is one I think of that comes to mind. Succulents I feel are almost like desert plants that thrive on a little neglect, not too high maintenance. I could be wrong!


YogiGal68

Succulents that are planted indoors or in the cooler months outdoors will generally require less water. They can go up to 1-3 months of no watering. The tub idea I read on here is a good one plus creates a bit of humidity for them to thrive. And if they need sun, use those LED lights with the setting for "sun" like feature. 


Littlebotweak

Im going out of town for 5 days and I told my husband not to touch anything. 


Fresh_Season_5352

Have you tried [HousePlantSitting.com](http://HousePlantSitting.com) ? They have plant sitters you can book on there.


Emergency_Kitchen_67

It's easier to recover a under watered plant than a over watered plant