Most houseplants have very few needs so with the proper amount light and water on a regular basis they will flourish.
Light is easily provided by the nearest convenient window but without a system in place to water your plants regularly the only plants you will come home to will be dead ones.
This article will explain three easy methods of keeping a houseplant alive without forcing you to buy an expensive piece of technology.
The cheapest method for smaller plants is to put the plant in a clear plastic bag.
Be sure to include the entire plant, from pot to plant tip.
Make sure the bags are large enough so the plastic does not come into direct contact with any of the foliage.
If necessary, use straws, sticks or other long objects to support the plastic like a tent away from the plant.
Water the plant thoroughly and tie the top of the bag closed.
This will trap in the humidity, creating an artificial water cycle within the bag, and your plants will stay moist and healthy.
This method is okay for extending a watering cycle but it is not recommended for long-term use.
Such an enclosed moist environment invites disease and fungus to breed inside the bag if it is kept up for longer than a month or so without being maintained with fresh bags and water.
If your plants are too large for the bag method to be practical, I would suggest the second method, plant wicks.
Plant wicks are a simple device that uses pieces of cloth, called wicks, which draws water up to the roots of the plant.
A wick system has several advantages; one being that it is impossible to over water a plant using the wick system.
This fact eliminates the risk of root rot commonly found in most automated watering systems that rely entirely on a timer to dispense the water.
The second benefit is that the plant becomes self-watering as long the wick is still in water.
The wick system does require you to be able to access to the roots of a plant in order to properly position the wicks, thus making the system difficult to use on raised flower beds or pots too heavy to lift.
You can employ the wick system by merely purchasing candle wicks that are at least 15 inches long from a craft store.
To water your indoor plant, simply place one end of the wick in a container of water, and place the other end into the soil of your potted plants.
As the plant requires water, the water will be absorbed through the wicks and into the soil.
The last method of watering with bricks is a simple, if messy, method of keeping your houseplants watered.
The brick method is the best method to use on vacations that are longer than a week or two, especially for large thirsty plants.
Simply fold a bath towel in half lengthwise to, protect your bathtub from scratches, and then place enough bricks on the towel to support all of your plants.
Fill the bathtub with lukewarm water until it barely covers the bricks.
Remove any saucers from the bottom of your plants, and then set the pots on the bricks.
Your plants will slowly absorb the water they need while on vacation.
The drawback of this method can be the lack of light for the plants if your bathroom does not have decent indoor lighting.
A light set to come on a few hours a day by a timer will help off set this problem even if it is not a plant light.
Each method has its drawbacks, but if used wisely, any one can keep their plants alive during a long vacation without being forced to buy an expensive electronic watering system.
There are many other do-it-your self methods for watering plants, if none of these suit your needs, keep trying, the perfect watering system for you is out there.