Prep Your Garden for Vacation

August 17, 2022 Sue Martin

The following tips are from an article in California Garden by Aenne Carver. Most are common sense but with summer temperatures, extra steps increase the chances your garden will survive your vacation.

Deadhead flowers, harvest fruit and vegetables and pinch back all herbs.
Group containers so someone watering doesn’t overlook a solitary pot.
Invest in a timer for your irrigation system and/or buy a few soaker or drip hoses.
Use large containers that hold moisture and repot root-bound plants.
Before leaving, apply two to three inches of mulch everywhere in the garden.
Do not fertilize before you leave because this stimulates instant growth that needs more water.
Let your lawn go. (If you don’t have automatic sprinklers).
Consider befriending a neighbor to check on your garden twice a week during your vacation.
Turn off or reduce running time of small fountains or ponds.
A couple of days before you leave, soak, soak and soak plants.

Thumbnail photo credit: Terry Robinson, Wikimedia Commons

Photo credit: David Ring, Wikimedia Commons

Deadhead flowers, harvest fruit and vegetables and pinch back all herbs.

Group containers so someone watering doesn’t overlook a solitary pot.

Invest in a timer for your irrigation system and/or buy a few soaker or drip hoses.

Use large containers that hold moisture and repot root-bound plants.

Before leaving, apply two to three inches of mulch everywhere in the garden.

Do not fertilize before you leave because this stimulates instant growth that needs more water.

Let your lawn go. (If you don’t have automatic sprinklers).

Consider befriending a neighbor to check on your garden twice a week during your vacation.

Turn off or reduce running time of small fountains or ponds.

A couple of days before you leave, soak, soak and soak plants.