For many people, their garden is their pride and joy when it comes to the exterior of their home. They put countless hours into it making sure it is watered, weeded, fertilized, and kept in tip-top shape. Depending on the size of the garden, you may find yourself spending anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more each and every day caring for it.
So, what happens when you book a vacation during summer garden season? How can you be sure that you’ll come home to a healthy looking garden that hasn’t fallen apart while you were away? Here are some gardening tips you can use that will help you to become a better gardener when you are home and when you’re away on holiday.
Prep Your Garden Ahead of Your Departure
The most important tip to help keep your garden looking lush and healthy while you’re away is to prep it before you depart. What this means is giving it a really good and thorough soaking and then laying mulch on top. Mulch helps to retain the water in the soil. Experts state that when you use mulch you lose 25% less water, which is fairly significant. As an added bonus, mulch also adds a beautiful decorative touch to the look of the garden.
Just be sure that when you do add the mulch you don’t make it a thick layer. You want just a light layer covering the top of the soil.
Also, as part of the preparation cut back any dead flowers/heads, and weed the garden before you leave. At least you’ll be giving it a healthy start.
Set Up a Sprinkler with a Timer
It can also be very handy to pick up a timer that can be used with your sprinkler. Even if it doesn’t need to come on daily, you can have it come on at least a few times while you’re gone. This will just help ensure that the plants get consistent watering while you’re away. Depending on your set-up, you may be able to hook up a few sprinklers with timers.
Make Sure Potted Plants Have Access to the Rain
If you have a variety of potted plants that are under a roof or some sort of covering, be sure to set them out in the open where they will be able to get the rain.
Speak to a Neighbor About Watering the Plants
Of course, if you are friendly with your neighbor then maybe you can speak to them about helping out and watering the plants a couple of times while you’re gone. If you do have a neighbor looking after your garden it would be a nice touch to grab them a little something in thanks, or make them one of your signature recipes to show your appreciation.
Use a Local Lawn Care Service
Depending on how long you’ll be out of town, you might consider having a professional local lawn care service come to your property to maintain your yard. These services are a great option because in addition to watering and cutting your grass, they’ll tailor their approach based on the climate, soil conditions, grass type, and time of year, ensuring your lawn has exactly what it needs. As a bonus, you won’t have to bother your neighbors or family members to keep your lawn healthy throughout your travels.
Give Your Garden the Help It Needs
Each of these tips will help you to prepare and then care for your garden while you’re away on vacation so you come back to healthy looking plants.