How to look after your plants when you’re on holiday

Growing cannabis on holiday can be a headache if you don’t have anyone to leave your plants with, but don’t panic! From  Buddha Seeds cannabis seed bank we bring you some solutions to make it much easier to take care of your plants when you are away for a few days.

Take note of these tips that you should put into practice before you leave on your trip and when you return.

What to do before you leave?

1. Check all parts of the irrigation system; any small fault can lead to a blunder in the crop.
2. Check that all electronic devices and timers are working.
3. Carry out preventive treatments for pests and fungus before leaving.
4. Prepare an automatic system to be able to water the plants during those days when we are away from home.

How to water your plants when you go on holiday?

Watering is the main concern of any cannabis grower when going on holiday. Ideally, you would be able to count on a family member or friend to water your plants, but if this is not the case, we will tell you how to do it.

Automatic watering system

An automatic watering system is the most reliable and efficient way to water your plants on holiday.

Before putting it into operation, it is necessary to set it up and test it for a few days, checking that everything is working correctly. If we see any faults in the pipes or drippers we will correct them immediately.

Clay cones

Clay cones are one of the easiest self-watering methods to use.

1. We place the clay cone in the mouth of the bottle (it has to be tightly closed).
2. Then we stick the cone into the substrate.
3. Make a couple of holes in the base of the bottle, allowing air to pass through and drip out of the cone.

Watering with string or wick

This is a very old and effective method for watering plants automatically. This method of water absorption is called ‘capillarity’. It is based on adding a wick or string into the water and bringing the other end to the pot.

You can add as many ropes as you like. However, the more ropes, the sooner the water in the bucket will run out.

Another way to do this is to place the pot with drainage (it must have holes in it) on a plate or tray. Pour the water into the dish or tray and the plant will absorb it according to its needs.

How to take care of cannabis plants on holiday after the trip

This is the time when we remember all the saints so that our crop is in good condition.

The more days we are away from home, the more worried we are about the well-being of our plants.

When we return home, it is likely that the crop is not at 100% and we may encounter any of the following scenarios:

Problems with watering

When the plants are left unattended for so many days, it is possible that something unexpected may happen.

Lack of watering

If cannabis plants spend prolonged periods of drought on holiday, the substrate can become damaged and compacted. When we want to water the substrate will not absorb the water. To solve this, we can add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to the water and water slowly. This will help to re-oxygenate the substrate.

To improve its health, it would be advisable to repot and fertilise the plant gently. The use of silicon helps the plants to resist better in times of drought and lack of water, we use Top Mass from Top Crop.

Plants should be placed in the shade and in the sun during the hours of less light intensity (early morning and late afternoon).

Excessive watering

Prolonged over-watering of plants reduces the oxygen levels in the substrate. This can lead to root rot.

If you do get root fungus from over-watering, it is not easy to remove. The best thing to do is to let the pot dry and then water with water containing 3-5% hydrogen peroxide.

Pest and fungus attacks

In summer it is very common for pests or fungi to appear and try to kill our crops. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to use preventive measures.

If the pest is very large or too established, it will be necessary to use a polyvalent systemic insecticide to eradicate them. Chemical insecticides are only recommended during the growth or vegetative phase.

It’s gone too high

In a few days, if conditions are good, cannabis plants can grow at a dizzying pace. If they are too tall when they arrive, we can use different techniques to control their height:

• Pruning
• Main lining
• Supercropping

Breaking

Bad weather conditions can cause tears and breakages in outdoor marijuana plants.

In the case of a recent breakage, we can make a splint to hold the branch in place.

If it has to be cut, we can take advantage of the branch to take cuttings and create new plants just like the mother plant. It is advisable to cover all cuts and wounds with a sealant for pruning and grafting, thus preventing the passage of any pathogen.

Nutrient deficiencies

It is likely that some plants will show symptoms of nutrient deficiencies. To remedy this, we can fertilise with the appropriate fertilisers or repot, depending on the stage.

The most effective way is to transplant, as the plant has new food and space to expand the root system of the plants.

Now it’s your turn, what systems do you use to take care of your cannabis plants during the holidays? You can leave us a comment below, we’ll read you!