Whether you are travelling for weeks or a few days, you don't want to return to a suffering garden. We share tips to help keep your garden healthy when you are on holiday.
- Many preparation activities can offer physical movement in the garden
- The opportunity to look closely at your surroundings and enjoy seeing what has grown and what needs caring for
- A sense of looking after and nurturing your garden, even in your absence
A person mowing the lawn
You may have spent the year so far putting time and care into your garden. If you are about to go on holiday, here are some practical ways to avoid horticultural heartbreak when you return.
1. Pause new planting plans
All plants need extra care when first planted, for example through more frequent watering. If you are planning on adding new plants to the garden, try to avoid doing this just before you go away. Wait until you return if possible.
2. Deadhead thoroughly
If you do a good plant tidy before you go, that should help keep things blooming. Deadhead spent flowers, including those in bloom that are nearing the end of their best.
3. Weed
As weeds grow, they can compete with your wanted plants for water and nutrients. Clear weeds before you go to help your other plants thrive. This should also mean less to tackle when you come back!
4. Do a final lawn mow
People mow their lawn at different rates, especially through the summer. Those who love a neat lawn may cut the grass once a week. Generally, a two-week break from mowing won’t cause any problems - especially if it's hot. If you are more of a tidy lawn fan, aim to mow as near to your departure date as possible.
5. Water thoroughly
Give your garden a thorough watering before you go, getting water to plant roots. Water needs to penetrate several inches below the surface, so give it a good soaking not a light sprinkling.
Before going away, water well for a couple of days. You could also add a 3-5cm deep mulch on top of the soil to retain moisture.
6. Harvest ahead
If you are growing food crops, harvest as much as you can that's ready before you go. If this is more than you can use, you could give some of your produce away - perhaps to a person who will kindly water your garden in exchange!
A mixture of plants in containers
With your preparation steps done, you have helped your garden stay in the best shape when you come back.
If you are going away for a longer time, or going away when it's hot, you will need to plan how to water your plants.
There are many ways you could do this:
- Asking a neighbour or friend to help is always a good idea if possible. Give clear instructions about what to water and how often, especially if they’re non-gardeners
- You can help save water in pots and containers by using a bottle irrigation kit. You could also move pots into shadier parts of the garden if possible. Don't move them somewhere where they won't benefit from rain, though, like beneath an overhanging roof
- If you are likely to be away a lot and don't want to keep asking someone to water for you, another option is an automatic irrigation system. These can be a bit expensive and fiddly to set up. Once in place they will save watering effort all year round if wanted
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