Top 10 Tips for Taking Care of your Garden While you're on Holiday
Taking time for yourself does't mean you have to neglect your garden's needs
It’s the school holidays, time for adventures, going on vacation and taking a break from everyday life. However before going on holiday, it's important to take care of your garden.
With the help of the British Garden Centres, we’ve put together a checklist of tasks to complete before you leave to make sure your outdoor space is thriving upon your return
1. Before going away, ensure your garden is healthy by giving it the TLC it needs whilst you aren’t at home. Slow-release fertilisers are a low-maintenance option for looking after your vegetable plants and will slowly feed your plants until you return.
2. Deadhead spent blooms and foliage to encourage new growth that you can return to.
3. Cut, edge, and weed your lawn before leaving. Avoid moving or planting anything new until you return.
4. The British weather can be unpredictable. If a hot spell is forecast, move hanging baskets, window boxes, and containers to a sheltered spot for shade and heat protection. Clustering them together will keep the temperature constant and create a microclimate for your plants to thrive. Choose a wall, fence, or under a tree to allow rainfall to reach them.
5. If you have a water butt, ensure it's full before leaving and give your plants a good soaking. Water evaporates quickly from plant pots, especially in full sun, leading to soil and roots potentially drying out.
6. If there is no rainfall forecast, you still need to ensure that your plants get a good watering whilst away. Invest in a collection of self-watering planters with their own watering system. These planters have a removable tray with small holes for drainage, and water moves up from the reservoir when the soil is dry, meaning you can relax, and your plants can too.
Read More: North East Volunteers Needed to Take Part in a Great British Hedgerow Survey
7. Mulching helps retain up to 25 percent more water and prevents weed growth. Laying bark chippings on borders before you go away will help retain soil moisture. Gravel works as a moisture-conserving mulch for all seasons, and slate chippings absorb heat during summer while keeping moisture from evaporating from the soil. All are available from local British Garden Centres store.
8. If you have a vegetable garden, pick ripe produce regularly and before you depart on holiday to prevent the plants from going to seed. This will result in higher crop yields when you return and prevent rotting fruits and vegetables from attracting pests. Freeze or store excess produce and consume what you can before leaving.
9. Pest check! Before going on vacation, check for pests and remove them by hand or organically if necessary to prevent a bigger problem upon return.
10. Don’t forget pre-holiday care for your houseplants too. Move any plants away from direct sun on windowsills so they don’t suffer from scorch whilst you are away. Before going on vacation, prune houseplants to remove dead leaves/stems. This helps conserve energy and improves their appearance to enjoy when you return.
