Garden Holiday Care

Caring for your garden whilst you’re away

Peak holiday time is approaching so we thought we’d share our garden holiday care tips for keeping your garden looking green whilst you’re away.

Watering

The most obvious solution is a willing friend or neighbour who will water for your whilst you are away. However, if that’s not an option, there are some other solutions:
Use a drip irrigation system.

Whether you are going away or not, an irrigation system can really save time and energy when it comes to watering. This works by running pipes with small holes, connected to your outside tap, through the plants and/or into pots and setting a timer to water.

Watering in the morning can be most efficient as less water is lost. Make sure to adjust the water depending on the plant as over-watering can be detrimental. We stock a range of Gardena products which will help achieve this. Why not check them out and ask our team what you would need.

Alternatives to irrigation systems.

If you do not want to use an irrigation system, the following tips will help:

• Plan ahead. Watering more deeply and less frequently from the start of the season encourages plants to send roots deeper. This means the plant can survive longer intervals without water
• If any of your plants are particularly drought sensitive, consider repotting them with gel moisture crystals to help retain moisture in the soil
• When you go away, move your pots out of direct sunlight, either into an area with natural shade, or by setting up some artificial shade. Place the pots in saucers which will collect rainwater for added hydration.
• Before you go away, weed well (weeds compete for water) and remove dead and decaying leaves.
• The use of a slow-release fertiliser will ensure that your plants remain well fed whilst you are away.
• Mulch the soil and top of pots to lessen evaporation
• Prior to leaving, give your plants a good soaking

The Lawn

Raise the blades on your mower for the final cut before you go away. Longer grass copes better with dry conditions. If your lawn does scorch in your absence it will quickly recover when the heavens open or with a good watering.

We hope these garden holiday care tips help!