Knowledge & Wisdom: Holiday Care for Houseplants

If the holidays mean leaving your houseplant collection alone while you visit your family in far places, water each plant well, move it out of direct sun, encase it loosely in a clear plastic bag with a few air holes punched in it, turn the thermostat down to 60 degrees, and have a good trip. When you return, remember to remove the plastic bags gradually over a period of four or five days; your plants will have been enjoying a jungle-like atmosphere and will need a little coaxing to give it up for the dry air of the house in winter. “Gardening Indoors,” by Helen Tower Brunet, December 1979