The festive season is when many people leave home for a week or more: Durga Puja and Dussehra, Diwali, then Christmas and New Year. Luckily for plants, it's also when the weather is kindest in most of India. But it isn't the same everywhere, and a few things catch people out.
October: the heat isn't quite over
In Mumbai and much of the west and south, October after the monsoon is hot and humid (people call it October heat), and pots that were soaked all through the rains suddenly dry out fast. If you leave for Durga Puja or Dussehra, water deeply and plan as you would for summer. In Delhi, days are still warm but nights cool quickly, and watering needs start dropping by the end of the month.
November: easy months, but watch the smoke
Around Diwali, North Indian cities often get days of heavy smog, and festival smoke adds to it. Dust and soot settle on leaves and block light. When you're back, wipe large leaves with a damp cloth or give plants a gentle rinse. Don't move plants onto an open balcony during the worst smog days. Otherwise November is a very forgiving month: most pots need water about half as often as in summer.
The south and east: rain in winter
Chennai and coastal Tamil Nadu and Andhra get most of their rain from the northeast monsoon, from about October to December, with cyclone warnings in some years. Treat these months like the monsoon elsewhere: drainage, empty saucers, and bring light pots in before a storm. Our monsoon guide applies here in November, not July. Bangalore and Hyderabad get some rain in October and then turn dry and pleasant, which is easy on plants.
December and January: cold nights in the north
- In Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan, nights can drop to 2-6°C, with frost in open areas. Tropical plants (crotons, money plant, adenium, anthuriums, tulsi on an exposed terrace) can be damaged. Move them indoors or against a sheltered wall, and cover open-terrace pots at night if frost is forecast.
- Water less. Cold soil stays wet for days, and waterlogged roots rot in winter just as they do in the rains. Water late morning, not in the evening.
- In Pune and the Deccan, winter is dry and mild: pots dry out steadily in the low humidity, but slowly.
- Indoors, room heaters dry the air fast. Keep plants away from them, and don't leave a heater on near plants while you're away.
How many visits a festive-season trip needs
- Up to a week, November-January, most cities: water deeply before you go, move pots out of direct sun, and most will be fine without a visit. Small pots and herbs may need one.
- One to two weeks: one visit a week is usually enough in winter; two in early-October heat or in a dry, sunny spot.
- Three weeks or more: plan weekly visits, and every 3-4 days for anything on a sunny balcony in October.
- Chennai in November: fewer waterings, but a visit after heavy rain to empty saucers and check for waterlogged pots.
Our travel planning guide covers the rest of the year, and the plant-sitter comparison helps you pick who does the visits.
Book early for Diwali and New Year
Whoever you ask, a neighbour, a family member or a paid plant sitter, the same week is busy for everyone. Ask two or three weeks ahead, and leave clear written notes: which pots, how much water, where the tap and keys are.
📍 Going away soon? We take requests from anywhere in India and look for a vetted gardener near you who visits and waters while you're away; if there isn't one near you yet, we tell you before anything is booked. No payment now. Tell us your city and dates →