# Going away for the summer? How to keep houseplants alive while you travel

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/guides/indoor-plants-summer-travel-dubai · Updated: 2026-10-07
Source: Plant Guide (https://plantguide.ae/guides/indoor-plants-summer-travel-dubai)

Most houseplants manage a week alone. Longer trips in a closed Dubai flat need a plan: water well, move plants off the glass, leave the AC on, and test a wick or self-watering setup first.  
By Plant Guide horticulture desk · published 2026-10-07 · 7 min read

For a few days to a week, water the plants thoroughly the day before, move them off the windowsills and leave the AC running. For two to six weeks, add a watering system you have tested or a person who will visit, and lean on plants that store water. For a whole summer, plan on regular visits from a person. A gadget alone is not enough for months.

## How long can you leave them?

| Time away | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| A few days to a week | Water thoroughly the day before, move plants out of direct sun and leave the AC on. Most houseplants will tolerate a week without water (RHS, Gardeners' World). |
| One to two weeks | Add a wick, capillary mat or self-watering pot that you have tested, or ask someone to water once. Plants that like constantly damp soil, such as Boston fern, prayer plant and nerve plant, go first. |
| Two to six weeks | Have someone look in at least every week or so. The RHS advises arranging for a trusted person to water if you are away longer than two weeks. Combine visits with a tested watering system and water-storing plants. |
| A whole summer | Arrange regular visits from a person or a plant-sitting service, or move the plants to a friend's home. Expect to lose some leafy tropicals and protect the sturdy ones. |

## The week before you leave

1. **Treat pests first.** Pests do not pause while you are away, and nobody will notice them. Look under the leaves for spider mites, mealybugs and scale, and treat them now. Our [houseplant problems guide](https://plantguide.ae/guides/indoor-plant-problems-dubai.md) has the routine.
2. **Water thoroughly the day before.** Soak each pot until water runs from the drainage holes, let it drain, and empty the saucers (University of Maryland Extension). Moist, not waterlogged, is the target.
3. **Move plants off the glass and out of the sun.** The University of Saskatchewan advises moving plants to a cool room out of direct sunlight to reduce water loss. In Dubai that means a bright spot inside the room, not a windowsill, and not a windowless room either. Plants still need daylight.
4. **Group them away from the windows.** Plants close together create a small pocket of damper air (University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension), and a group is easier to set up with one watering system or to check in one visit.
5. **Leave the AC on, a few degrees higher.** DEWA suggests 24 °C for everyday use. While you are away, a set-point in the mid to high 20s (26–28 °C is our suggestion, not a DEWA figure) saves power, and the RHS gives 19–30 °C by day as the range for moth orchids. A closed flat with the AC off can get very hot when July and August highs average 41–42 °C. If your AC or app has a schedule, use it, and ask a neighbour or building staff to confirm that the AC is running.
6. **Test your watering system a week early.** The University of Saskatchewan advises testing your chosen method beforehand. Check that the soil is moist but not soggy a few days after you set it up, then adjust.
7. **Leave a written note.** If someone is visiting, tell them which plants to water, how much, and which to leave alone. See the section on asking a neighbour below.

## Watering systems that work

| Method | How it works | Watch for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Self-watering pot | A reservoir in the base feeds the soil through a wick (University of Saskatchewan). The RHS says it suits plants that need steady moisture all year, rather than being a one-off holiday fix. | Check the reservoir will last your trip. A pot that stays wet suits a fern, not a ZZ plant. |
| Cotton wick | One end of a cotton cord sits in a water container and the other end is buried in the soil. The container should sit higher than the pot so water travels along the cord (NC State Extension). | Use a container big enough for the trip, and test it. Some wicks deliver too little, some too much. |
| Capillary mat | Small pots stand on a wet mat that hangs into a water-filled sink or bath. The pot bases must touch the mat (RHS). | The sink or bath needs daylight. Plants will not last weeks in a dark bathroom. |
| Watering spike or bottle | A bottle with a spike releases water slowly into the pot (University of Saskatchewan). | Release rates vary between spikes and pot sizes. Test before you rely on them. |
| Clear cover | Plastic over the plant traps moisture. The RHS says it suits short absences only, and the cover must stay clear of the foliage. | Keep it out of the sun. Plastic heats quickly in a warm room. |

## Which plants cope, and which don't

Water-storing plants cope longest. The RHS says cacti and succulents need no special measures, and Gardeners' World lists mother-in-law's-tongue (snake plant) among the plants that cope for two or three weeks. NC State Extension says ZZ plants store water in their rhizomes and ponytail palms in the swollen trunk, and that cacti and succulents can manage at least a month. They also share a weakness: ZZ plant and snake plant both rot if kept wet.

**Usually fine for two to three weeks, succulents for longer**

- [ZZ plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zz-plant.md) (Zamioculcas zamiifolia): A near-indestructible houseplant for Dubai's air-conditioned rooms: it stores water in thick rhizomes, tolerates deep shade, and can go a month or more between waterings.
- [Snake plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/snake-plant.md) (Dracaena trifasciata): The most forgiving houseplant for a Dubai apartment: it shrugs off low light and dry AC air, and overwatering is the only real way to lose it.
- [Ponytail palm](https://plantguide.ae/plants/ponytail-palm.md) (Beaucarnea recurvata): A sculptural, water-storing plant, not a true palm, that shrugs off dry AC air and missed waterings. It wants the brightest window you have, a pot that drains, and very little water. Listed as safe for cats and dogs.
- [Jade Plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/jade-plant.md) (Crassula ovata): A slow, sculptural succulent shrub with a thick trunk and glossy, fat leaves: easy and long-lived in a pot, but it wants bright shade in Dubai's summer and is toxic to pets.
- [Aloe vera](https://plantguide.ae/plants/aloe-vera.md) (Aloe vera): An easy, drought-proof rosette succulent that thrives in Dubai's dry heat, needs almost no care once settled, and handles some afternoon shade better than most desert succulents.
- [Zebra haworthia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zebra-haworthia.md) (Haworthiopsis attenuata): A small, white-banded succulent rosette that tolerates normal room air, bright indirect light and little water. A natural desk plant for a Dubai flat, and non-toxic to cats and dogs on the ASPCA list.

At the other end, NC State says Boston fern soil should never be allowed to dry out, prayer plant likes evenly moist soil, and nerve plant wilts dramatically when dry, although it recovers after a drink. They need a watering system, a short trip or a visitor.

**Need cover within days**

- [Boston fern](https://plantguide.ae/plants/boston-fern.md) (Nephrolepis exaltata): A lush, arching fern that is non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA) but thirsty and humidity-hungry. It suits a bright bathroom or kitchen window far better than an air-conditioned living room.
- [Prayer plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/prayer-plant.md) (Maranta leuconeura): A low, patterned plant whose leaves fold up at night. Non-toxic to pets (ASPCA), but it needs high humidity and steady moisture, so it struggles in dry AC rooms without a humidifier or a windowed bathroom.
- [Nerve plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/nerve-plant.md) (Fittonia albivenis): A tiny, creeping plant with finely veined leaves in red, white or pink. Non-toxic to pets (ASPCA). It wilts dramatically and browns in dry air, so it suits a humid bathroom, a gravel tray or a glass terrarium.

Everything else sits in the middle and will want a system or a visitor after a week or two. Treat all of these numbers as rules of thumb. Pot size, light and room temperature change them, and no extension source gives a safe number of days for a Dubai flat.

## Asking a neighbour

A kind neighbour is more likely to drown a plant than to let it dry out. Make the job small and clear.

- Give written, plant-by-plant instructions: which pots, how much water and how often. Tell them to leave ZZ plants, snake plants and succulents alone unless the soil is bone dry.
- Tag the thirsty plants and say 'only the tagged ones'.
- Sort out access: a key or access card, and a word with building management if needed.
- Ask them to look under the leaves for pests, and to message you a photo of anything odd, including a warm flat.
- Offer a thank-you. A repeat favour next summer is worth more than any gadget.

## Plant-sitters and rental services

Some UAE plant shops and landscape contractors offer plant maintenance or plant rental, mainly for offices. Ask whether they will do household visits while you are away. Before you agree, ask what a visit includes (watering, a pest check, turning the plants), how often they would come, how they get into your building, what happens if a plant dies, and what each visit costs. We don't name or rank services here; our [where to buy guide](https://plantguide.ae/guides/where-to-buy-indoor-plants-dubai.md) lists shops.

## Your balcony and garden

Do not leave potted plants on a balcony for the summer. The average daily high at Dubai airport is about 41–42 °C in July and August, and a pot in direct sun can be hotter still. Bring them in, or group them in the shade. For the villa garden, irrigation, mulch and the pool, see [Keeping your garden and pool alive while you're away for summer](https://plantguide.ae/guides/garden-care-while-travelling-summer.md).

## When you get back

- Check the soil about 5 cm (2 inches) down before you water; don't assume (University of Maryland Extension).
- Trim leaves that are clearly dead, and look under the rest for pests.
- If you haven't flushed the pots in the last four to six months, do it now with at least twice the pot's volume of plain water (University of Maryland Extension).
- Restart feeding lightly once the plant looks active again. Over-fertilising browns leaf tips (Iowa State Extension).
- If a ficus drops leaves after a dry spell, leave it where it is. Moving it can trigger more leaf loss (NC State Extension).

- **A few days to 1 week** — how long most houseplants manage without help (RHS; Gardeners' World)
- **2 weeks** — beyond this the RHS advises arranging for someone to water (RHS)
- **1 month or more** — what cacti and succulents can manage (NC State Extension)

Want this handled for you? See [Garden Care](https://plantguide.ae/garden-care.md) for monthly garden and pool care from AED 500.

## FAQ

**Should I leave the AC on while I'm away?**  
We would leave it on at a higher set-point rather than switch it off. DEWA's everyday advice is 24 °C, and a set-point in the high 20s is our suggestion for an empty flat. A closed flat in July or August, with daily highs averaging 41–42 °C, can get very hot. If you do switch it off, move succulents and ZZ plants to the coolest room and expect to lose leafy plants.

**How long can houseplants go without water?**  
Most tolerate about a week (RHS, Gardeners' World). Plants such as snake plant and ZZ plant can cope for two or three weeks if watered well first, and cacti and succulents for a month or more. Beyond two weeks, the RHS advises arranging for someone to water. Pot size, light and room temperature change these figures.

**Will a self-watering pot keep a plant alive for a month?**  
It can, for as long as the reservoir lasts, but test it a week before you leave. Self-watering pots suit plants that like steady moisture, such as ferns. They are a poor fit for ZZ plants and snake plants, which rot if kept wet.

**Should I close the curtains while I'm away?**  
Part-close them against direct sun, but don't make the room dark. Plants still need daylight. The University of Saskatchewan advises a cool room out of direct sunlight, so a bright room with the blinds partly down beats a shut-up room with no light at all.

**What if I'm away for the whole summer?**  
Plan for a person, not a gadget. Arrange regular visits from a trusted neighbour or a plant-sitting service, or move the plants to a friend's home. Keep the tough ones, such as ZZ plant, snake plant, ponytail palm and succulents, and accept that thirsty ferns and prayer plants may not make it.

## Plants mentioned

[ZZ plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zz-plant.md) · [Snake plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/snake-plant.md) · [Ponytail palm](https://plantguide.ae/plants/ponytail-palm.md) · [Jade Plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/jade-plant.md) · [Aloe vera](https://plantguide.ae/plants/aloe-vera.md) · [Zebra haworthia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zebra-haworthia.md) · [Boston fern](https://plantguide.ae/plants/boston-fern.md) · [Prayer plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/prayer-plant.md) · [Nerve plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/nerve-plant.md)

## Related guides

- [Houseplants and air conditioning: keeping plants happy in a cool, dry Dubai home](https://plantguide.ae/guides/indoor-plants-air-conditioning-dubai.md)
- [Brown tips, yellow leaves and pests: fixing common houseplant problems in Dubai](https://plantguide.ae/guides/indoor-plant-problems-dubai.md)
- [Indoor plants for Dubai homes: what thrives with AC, low light and pets](https://plantguide.ae/guides/best-indoor-plants-dubai.md)

## Sources

- [RHS: Houseplants holiday care tips](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/houseplants/holiday-care)
- [BBC Gardeners' World: Holiday care for house plants](https://www.gardenersworld.com/house-plants/holiday-care-for-house-plants/)
- [University of Saskatchewan: Watering houseplants while on vacation](https://gardening.usask.ca/articles-and-lists/articles-indoor-growing/watering-houseplants-while-on-vacation.php)
- [NC State Extension (Pender County): How to save your houseplants while vacationing](https://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/02/how-to-save-your-houseplants-while-vacationing)
- [University of Maryland Extension: Watering indoor plants](https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-indoor-plants)
- [University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension: Houseplants and humidity](https://lancaster.unl.edu/houseplants-humidity)
- [Gulf News: How to reduce your DEWA bill this summer (DEWA 24 °C advice)](https://gulfnews.com/living-in-uae/housing/how-to-reduce-dewa-bill-summer-1.500632514)
- [RHS: Phalaenopsis growing guide](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/phalaenopsis/growing-guide)
- [Wikipedia: Climate of Dubai (Dubai International Airport 1991–2020 normals)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Dubai)
- [NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant)](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zamioculcas-zamiifolia/)
- [NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Dracaena trifasciata (snake plant)](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/dracaena-trifasciata/)
- [NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Beaucarnea recurvata (ponytail palm)](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/beaucarnea-recurvata/)
- [NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Nephrolepis exaltata (Boston fern)](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/nephrolepis-exaltata/)
- [NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Maranta leuconeura (prayer plant)](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/maranta-leuconeura/)
- [NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Fittonia albivenis (nerve plant)](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/fittonia-albivenis/)
- [NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Ficus elastica (rubber plant)](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ficus-elastica/)
- [Colorado State Extension: Managing houseplant pests](https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/managing-houseplant-pests/)
- [Iowa State Extension: Diagnosing houseplant problems](https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/diagnosing-houseplant-problems)
- [Plantsworld: plant rental and plant maintenance services (an example of a UAE service)](https://plantsworld.ae/)