Containers Pots, hanging baskets and growbags are the parts of your garden most likely to take a hit during a summer absence: small soil volumes dry out quickly and need watering daily in hot weather, otherwise you’ll come home to a crispy mess. If you have a friend or neighbour willing to pop over and water, this is ideal: make the deal more tempting by offering to reciprocate when they go away, and invite them to pick any flowers and edible crops that would otherwise go to waste. If this isn’t possible, the next best option is to install a self-watering system: this can be as simple as watering spikes attached to water-filled plastic drinks bottles or wine bottles planted in individual pots, but you can also attach a soaker hose on a timer to a water butt or outdoor tap. If you have lots of valuable plants in pots, a computerised self-watering system you can monitor remotely from an app can be a worthwhile investment. If this feels too much like hard work, your best bet is to soak everything thoroughly before you go, then huddle containers and hanging baskets together in a shady spot away from walls so they can catch any rainfall. Place a gravel-filled drip tray underneath pots to catch water and allow it to be absorbed. Add a layer of bark or gravel mulch several centimetres deep to the top of pots to slow down evaporation and stop competition from weeds. Got pots that can’t be moved? Protect them from the sun with old net curtains or horticultural fleece. Flowerbeds These are less vulnerable than containers during holidays, because they can absorb any rainfall more easily, and roots can reach far into the ground to draw up moisture. Rather than giving everything a quick spray, focus your watering on plants most likely to suffer in a drought, such as shrubs and trees planted in the past few months as well as summer bedding. Give these a deep soak, directing water to the base of the plant. If you have spent money on a new tree and plan to go away often, it’s worth investing in a tree hydration bag to make sure your new addition isn’t denied water during its vital settling-in period. Deadhead flowers and remove weeds to make sure plants aren’t facing extra stress from competition. Mulching after watering will also help to hold in moisture. Vegetable gardens and allotments Harvest and preserve as much as you can before you go, as anything that ripens in your absence will go to waste. Right now, that includes salad leaves, courgettes, beans, peas, chillies, tomatoes and soft fruit such as strawberries and blueberries. Remove as many weeds as you can, water, then mulch beds with grass clippings, homemade compost or straw. Lawns Grass is incredibly tough: it usually bounces back quickly from drought, so don’t panic about this part of the garden. If you’ve kept going with No Mow May, there is no reason to start cutting now, but if your lawn has been regularly mown, give grass a trim with the mower blades set high – think a light trim rather than a buzz cut – and save fertiliser and other lawn treatments until you return. If you have a robotic mower, do you just leave it to carry on while you holiday? Most models can be left to mow as usual, as they are fitted with an alarm and a security code system that locks the machine after a few failed attempts, and some can be monitored remotely via an app. Security Gardens left with high-value items on display can be a target for thieves, so be sure to lock tools, ladders, mowers, ornaments, furniture and anything else of value away, securely and out of sight. If you have large pieces of furniture, barbecues or sculptures that cannot be moved, secure them in place with heavy-duty ground or wall anchors. Move wheelie bins away from boundaries to stop people using them to climb over, and cover shed and garage windows so the contents are not on display. Sheds’ weak points are often the hinges – so even if you have an expensive padlock, add coach bolts to make the hinges much harder to remove. Wildlife Most wildlife will be unbothered by your absence, but don’t leave hazards in place: pack away sports netting to stop birds and hedgehogs getting stuck, and ensure fruit cage netting is properly secured. If someone is coming to water, ask them to refill bird feeders and baths. If not, extra large feeders that can hold two or three litres of food will keep the supply going for longer (like the 2.7 litre Flo Festival feeder from the RSPB). Leaving several dishes of water at ground level around the garden in shady spots should help to provide water for wildlife. Greenhouses Advertisement Greenhouses are one of the trickiest parts of the garden to leave during a holiday, so ask visiting waterers to prioritise this space when popping into your garden. If you don’t have someone to check in, leave all windows and vents open, and move plants off staging and on to the floor so they are shaded from the sun. If that’s not possible, add netting or shade paint to protect plants and keep them from frying. Ponds Check filters and pumps are running smoothly and filters are clean before you go, but leave waterfalls and fountains running so the water stays aerated if you have fish. Remove any debris from the surface of the water, then top up to the maximum level. Houseplants Most houseplants will not need any extra attention if left for a week or so – just be sure to water thoroughly before leaving, allowing pots to drain so they are not left sitting in stagnant water. Cacti and succulents can last without water for several weeks, but for longer trips, grouping plants together away from windows allows them to slow down photosynthesis and eke out their supply of water. Tropical plants and ferns can be placed on a wet towel (or capillary matting if you have it) in the bath, shower tray or sink – some growers even stretch a sheet of clingfilm over the sink or bath to form a mini greenhouse. Individual specimens can be placed in large clear plastic bags to create the same effect. If you go away regularly, it’s worth investing in some self-watering devices for houseplants: there are numerous options that work well, including water spikes made from terracotta or plastic; water globes and self-watering planters. Tropical plants and ferns can be placed on a wet towel (or capillary matting if you have it) in the bath, shower tray or sink – some growers even stretch a sheet of clingfilm over the sink or bath to form a mini greenhouse. Individual specimens can be placed in large clear plastic bags to create the same effect. If you go away regularly, it’s worth investing in some self-watering devices for houseplants: there are numerous options that work well, including water spikes made from terracotta or plastic; water globes and self-watering planters. Balconies and terraces If you have pots on balconies or on window boxes and are taking a longish trip, bring smaller pots inside and group them on a plastic tarpaulin to protect your floor; for shorter jaunts, or containers you cannot move, erecting some protection from drying winds and sun will help, even it’s just an old sheet. Move pots to the shadiest corner if you can.