We run a plant-sitting service, so we have an obvious interest here. That's exactly why this comparison tries to be fair: for plenty of trips, you don't need to pay anyone. Here's how the three options really compare.
Option 1: Self-watering setups
Cost: free (a plastic bottle) to a few hundred rupees (clay spikes, a gravity drip kit). Works for: trips of up to about 5-7 days, and up to 1-2 weeks with a drip kit you've tested. Good: no one needs your keys, no favours owed. Risks: they fail silently. A clogged dripper or an empty bottle on day three means the plant is dry for the rest of the trip, and nobody notices. They're unreliable for small pots in full sun and can overwater in the monsoon. Our self-watering guide has how long each type lasts.
Option 2: A neighbour, friend or family member
Cost: free in money; usually a small gift or a return favour. Works for: 1-2 weeks, sometimes longer. Good: someone actually sees the plants, so problems get noticed. You probably already trust them with keys. Risks: they're doing you a favour, so they may skip a day when busy or go away themselves (especially at Diwali and New Year, when everyone travels). Well-meaning non-gardeners often overwater, which kills more plants than a week without water. And asking the same person every trip gets awkward.
If you go this route: leave a written list (each pot, how much water, how often, using the finger test), group the pots in one place, and show them once in person before you leave.
Option 3: A paid plant sitter or gardener
Cost: a fee per visit, which depends on your city, the number of plants and the distance. Ask for the price per visit up front, and agree how many visits the trip needs before anyone starts. Works for: any length of trip, large collections, terrace gardens, summer heat. Good: it's their job, so they come on the agreed days; a good gardener also spots pests, rot and sun damage, and adjusts watering to the weather instead of following a fixed rule. Risks: you're letting a stranger into your home or onto your terrace, so choose someone vetted, ask for a photo after each visit, and give access only to the area with plants where you can. It costs money that a short winter trip may not justify.
Side by side
| Self-watering | Neighbour | Paid sitter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | ₹0 to a few hundred, once | Free (a favour) | Per visit, agreed up front |
| Best trip length | Up to ~1 week | 1-2 weeks | Any |
| Hot months | Weak | OK if reliable | Strong |
| Spots problems | No | Sometimes | Yes |
| Needs your keys | No | Yes | Usually |
| Main risk | Fails silently | Skipped days, overwatering | Cost; trusting a stranger |
Which one for which trip
- A long weekend, any season: water deeply, move pots to shade, group them. You likely need nothing else.
- One week in winter: self-watering for the small pots, or one neighbour visit.
- One week in April-June: at least 2-3 visits for sunny pots, from a neighbour or a sitter. See surviving 45°C.
- Two weeks or more, or 30+ pots, or a terrace garden: a paid sitter is usually worth it; a combination (sitter weekly, self-watering in between) keeps the cost down.
- Diwali or New Year: ask early, because neighbours travel too. See our festive-season guide.
How many visits a trip needs depends on your city's season: see the guides for Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai.
📍 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 →