Vacation Care Tips

Prepare Your Landscape for Your Absence

Going on vacation should be relaxing, not stressful. With proper preparation, your lawn and garden can thrive while you're away. Here are seven essential tips to ensure your landscape stays healthy during your absence.

1. Water Deeply Before You Leave

Give your entire landscape a thorough watering 1-2 days before you depart. This ensures plants have adequate moisture to start with. Water deeply to encourage roots to go deeper, making plants more drought-tolerant.

2. Set Up Automatic Watering

Install timers on your hoses or irrigation system to water automatically. For shorter trips, consider:

• Soaker hoses with timers for garden beds
• Drip irrigation systems for efficient watering
• Self-watering globes for container plants
• Programming your existing sprinkler system

3. Mulch Your Garden Beds

Apply 2-3 inches of mulch around plants to help retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Fresh mulch before your trip can significantly reduce water needs and keep weeds at bay.

4. Move Containers to Shade

Container plants dry out quickly in full sun. Move pots to shadier locations during your absence to reduce water stress. Group containers together to create a more humid microclimate.

5. Remove Flowers and Deadhead Plants

Flowering and setting seed requires significant water and energy. Remove open flowers and deadhead spent blooms before leaving. This helps plants conserve resources while you're away.

6. Mow Your Lawn

Mow your lawn shortly before departure, but raise the mower height by 1/2 to 1 inch. Taller grass develops deeper roots and shades the soil, reducing water evaporation and stress during your absence.

7. Ask a Neighbor for Help

For longer vacations, enlist a trusted neighbor or friend to:

• Water plants if rain hasn't fallen in 5-7 days
• Check for wilting or stressed plants
• Harvest ripe vegetables to keep plants producing
• Pick up fallen fruit that could attract pests
• Report any problems that need immediate attention

When You Return

Upon returning, walk through your landscape and assess plant health. Water thoroughly if conditions have been dry, and resume your regular maintenance schedule. Check for any pest or disease issues that may have developed during your absence.