Your Ultimate Guide to Holiday Garden Care 

Gardening Tips and Tricks

So, you’ve booked a holiday? What exciting news! I can hear the dread kick into gear as you begin to think of all your hard spring work in the garden that will be undone in a matter of days or weeks. Australia might be a lucky country full of beautiful landscapes, but we are definitely unlucky when it comes to the weather from droughts to fires and the harsh Australian summer heat. Is there any wonder, when we have to battle water restrictions and sun burn too! Whether you’re planning a few days or a few weeks we at Everything about Garden have you covered, with some top tips for garden maintenance while on holiday including pruning, watering tricks and the best mulch for moisture retention. 

When planning your trip its best to set aside a day before you travel to prepare the garden, that way you have no unexpected added costs or run into any delays. Below is our top list on things to do before your trip: 

  1. First up, mow the lawns to give it chance to grow and so that it’s not knee deep when you return! The lawn can withstand time without water as they have roots that would be quite well developed. It’s not advisable to cut the lawn any shorter, I’m sure you’re tempted, but this would put stress on the grass, creating patches of burn and allowing pesky weeds to enter.  
  2. Next up, a tidy up of garden beds, removal of dead branches and spent flowers, not only keeps the plants looking nice but helps them produce new stems, leaves and flowers. Ensure all your veggies, if you have any growing are picked ahead of time and maybe leave them for a friend or neighbour to enjoy!
  3. Applying fertilisers and garden boosters can help with increasing the length of time your garden can survive while you’re away. We carry a range of Searles SeaMax fertilisers, along with specific fertilisers for different categories – citrus and shrub, cacti and succulent, roses and flowers, natives, and orchids. Browse our full range of Fertilisers!
  4. Next up we have watering! Ensuring the plants are well watered before you go away, or having a system in place to aid in their survival is paramount.  

For the garden beds a good soaking will be especially well received. Wetting agents like Wettasoil will aid in water retention while on holiday and keep existing soil moist. Ultimately an automatic watering system can do wonders, this is a big investment and would keep the garden looking great and be one of the best ways to water plants while away.  

For the potted plants investing in a dripper irrigation system with timers to track when the water comes on would allow the plants to survive longer trips but a cost-effective alternative for your trip (if you like using the hose regularly) can be as simple as some holes in some up-turned old bottles, allowing the water to slowly ‘drip’ out.  

Do you have indoor plants? If you do, then consider putting some water in the bottom of the bath, add the plants into this to ensure they stay watered for the time you are away.  

  1. Its best to put anything that can be blown away under covers or in the garage to avoid it being damaged. Adding furniture covers to heavy items and sofas or table settings can help maintain them in the heat and wind. Secure trampolines and place ladders and tools away in sheds.  
  2. Last and probably one of the most important is mulch. While it can be seen as an eye sore to some, mulch is fantastic at keeping water in the soil and around your plants roots for longer. The mulch acts as a barrier to the plants and the water doesn’t evaporate as fast. We have both red and natural coloured mulch available, while the colour is only a personal preference, they will both retain the moisture. View our Mulch varieties here!

If your holiday is with friends and family then this one might not work but our last garden maintenance tip to prepare your garden for travel is to ask friends, family or a willing neighbour to help out. Whether it’s just checking in on the plants or running the hose around, having someone keep a watchful eye on your house and garden might bring some added peace of mind! And if you do have a veggie patch they can help themselves to some yummy treats while you’re away!!  

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