Tips for babysitting houseplants

Dear Readers: If you are going to be away for a short time, you need to make plans to care for your houseplants before you go. Here are some hints I'd like to share to keep them happy while you're away:
Give them a good watering (but don't drown them) right before you leave. During the summer or winter, do not turn your air conditioning or heating completely off. Instead, set it at a temperature where your plants survive.
If there's a natural light source like a window or skylight in your bathroom, put plants in the bathtub with several inches of water and cover each plant with a clear, plastic dry-cleaning bag to create a greenhouse or terrarium effect.
If you have rare or costly plants that require TLC, it might be better to have a neighbor or friend water and look in on them every couple of days.
For outdoor potted plants, set a couple in a large, plastic garbage bag and fill the bottom with water to keep them watered for up to a week. If you have a child's wading pool, put a larger group of plants in it and add enough water to keep everyone well hydrated! Heloise
Dear Heloise: When traveling, take along a supply of single dollar bills. They come in handy for tips, and for using washing or vending machines! Isobel L., Rahway, N.J.
Dear Heloise: When the coffee-filter basket for your drip coffee maker is white, it quickly becomes very stained and nasty-looking. Mine is configured in such a way that I cannot run it through the dishwasher, so here is my solution: I take a bowl that is just big enough for the basket to fit into, add about a tablespoon of dishwasher detergent and fill the bowl with hot water. I add the coffee-filter basket and can see the cleaning action begin instantly. It might need to be done a couple of times, depending on how stained the basket is. Also, I take an old toothbrush to finish the crevices that might still be stained. Susan B., San Angelo, Texas
Dear Heloise: While in the process of remodeling our bathroom, I was concerned about how I would repaint the tight space behind the toilet without needing to hire a plumber to remove the fixture first or get paint all over it. I tried placing an old T-shirt over the tank (neck up), and then I used a sponge brush to paint those hard-to-reach spaces back there. The wall looks fine, and the T-shirt saved me from getting paint on the toilet tank. Nathan DiMartino, Johnstown
Dear Heloise: I sometimes use salt packets here in Maine, where garden slugs ravish favorite perennials and vegetables. I carry some of the packets along with my garden tools and use them to sprinkle directly onto the slugs when I see them. John B., via e-mail
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