Tip top tips
to keep your plants
tip top 

.....whilst your away from home this Summer....

Hey, hey!

So this long lockdown is easing and we've start planning a change of scenery for a couple of weeks! Yey, but wait oh no for the love of plants!! 

Hmmmm, choices, decisions, should we go or should we stay? What a 'clash' of the conscience! Well,  never fear the Cosmos is here with a few helpful  ideas to keep our planty pals tip top whilst you have some time away, without calling in a neighbour to take on the pressure, overwatering your babies with some intended tlc!! You know how it is, we've all been there. I remember my heart sinking at the sight of a neighbours floating Goldfish...

First off, water all your plants as you usually would, check them over for pests, trim back any damaged or yellowing leaves.

As we're  here in good old Blighty, we are never really sure what the weather is going to do so my first thought is to our plant positioning:  

* remove plants from windows sills that get a lot of sun - reducing light isn't going to damage your plant for a couple of weeks, just slow the plant down. Note this IS NOT putting the plant into darkness! Place the plant on the ground underneath where it usually sits.

By doing this, your plant is going to remain cooler and its growth is going to slow down a bit.

The blessing is that plants are tougher cookies than we think, most being resilient to surviving with less water for a couple of weeks. Particularly if you can keep them cool.  Two weeks without water, is better than flooding the plant and then it sitting in water and with wet roots/feet whilst you're away.

* A simple wicking system can be set up if you have plants that are thirsty and need to remain moist. You need a large container and some long lengths of absorbant cotton twine or rope to do this. I tie a weight/pebble round the twine in the water container so it stays weighted to the bottom and then push the other end of the string, gently into the plants soil, roughly two or three inches down in the pot. Doing this will keep the plants soil moist until you return. One pointer with this method though, is to make sure you have watered the plants well before starting wicking, or else the plant will suck up all the water too quick!

* You can do a similar thing, grouping  plants together on some soaked through towels in the sink or bath, so they have some humidity and a source of moisture, without getting wet through. Just watch out there's no direct sunlight coming through these areas, as they are often positioned over a windowspace!

The plants will enjoy having their own social in here too, as grouped together will boost their humidity. But please check for any signs of pests or problems before doing this and dont have the leaves all touching.    

And there you have it - A few little pointers to keep things ticking over whilst you grab awell earned break! Longer than a fortnight away? Might be worth doing some research on individual maintainence and envolving leaving some plant -ed' with a good friend! 

Happy holidays!