It’s every gardener’s worst nightmare – going on holiday.
While the less green-thumbed among us count down with excitement to our week or two away in the sun, more avid gardeners experience a mix of both cautious enthusiasm with a tinge of dread.
There’s just so much to worry about; genuine worries such as watering and pests, and the slightly more exaggerated worries like the garden suddenly becoming overgrown and inhabitable in the one week you’re away (pssttt, this won’t happen).
Instead of letting these worries plague your thoughts, while you’re trying to sunbathe or soak up the hottest tourist attractions, follow the simple tips below to prep your garden before you jet off. Coming home to a garden full of colour and blooms rather than dry and dead plants is a lot easier than you may think.
I’m Beth from @bethsgardendiary, a keen gardener sharing my tips and tricks on how to prep your garden before a holiday.
1. Watering
Putting a plan in place for watering while you’re away is the most important preparation.
In the days leading up to your departure, water your pots and borders deeply if the weather is forecast to be dry. You may even consider adding a layer of mulch. This will help the soil to retain moisture, meaning your plants will be able to go longer between waterings.
If no rain is forecast and you are away for a week or longer, you may need to ask a neighbour, family member, or friend to pop in and water things for you. If this isn’t an option, there’s no need to worry because Hozelock has some fantastic automatic watering systems which are incredibly easy to install.
Automatic Watering
Many automatic watering systems take water from the tap to your plants using a simple network of narrow pipes and outlets hidden in the garden. This can be controlled manually or by an electronic water controller.
Essentially, it takes all the work out of watering for you, and with a Hozelock Select Controller you can choose from 16 pre-set programs which supply water from once a week up to four times a day, depending on your garden’s needs.
25 Pot Watering Kit
I recently installed the 25 Pot Watering Kit in my garden, and much to my delight this was a lot simpler than I expected. The kit comes complete with the Select Controller and everything you need to water up to 25 pots.
As pots dry out much quicker than borders and beds, this kit offers peace of mind whether you’re away on holiday or simply struggling to maintain consistent watering. Just connect the easy-to-use controller to your outdoor tap, then use the provided tube, connectors and drippers to set up the perfect system unique to your garden.
Whether you opt for an automated system or not, staying on top of watering is key for maintaining healthy plants in your absence.
2. Feeding
The next thing I always do before going on holiday is give my pots, beds, and any prolific summer flowering plants (such as Dahlias) a feed. Feeding ensures plants have the necessary nutrients for optimal growth and helps encourage healthy, strong roots and an abundance of flowers and fruits.
Feeding before you go is completely optional, but personally, I like to see lots of new, healthy growth on my return. Some plants will require more feeding than others, especially those grown in containers or beds, and here is a list of plants that I ensure I feed regularly through the growing season:
- Sweet Peas
- Roses
- Dahlias
- Cosmos
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Peppers
- Fruit trees
3. General Garden Maintenance
Last up, there are a few general garden maintenance tasks I make sure I do before leaving my garden for an extended period of time. These tasks promote more flowers, lower the risk of disease, and keep your garden looking neat and tidy for when you arrive home. They include:
- Mowing the lawn
Give your lawn a mow if you want to come back to a neat garden. - Deadheading spent flowers
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more blooms and keep plants healthy. - Harvest and use up ripe and ready fruits and veggies
Harvest and use the veggies and fruits that are ready for picking so you don’t miss out on enjoying them at their best. If you have too much to use up before you go, consider freezing produce or giving it away to family and friends. - Topping up bird feeders and baths
Top up your bird feeders and baths to keep your garden friends fed and happy until you return. - Weed
Clear weeds so they don’t get out of hand while you’re away. Weeding will also keep your plants happy, as they won’t have to compete with them for water and nutrients. - Don’t plant anything new
You should avoid planting new plants in the lead up to your holiday as these will require extra care before they establish.
We hope this blog has been a useful guide to prepping your garden before a holiday. If you follow these suggestions you’ll be coming home to a thriving garden that shows no sign of neglect.
Enjoy your holiday! The garden will be here once you’re back.
