With summer holiday time here and gardens which seem to demand every spare hour of the day getting away is easier said than done. But never fear here's a short guide on how to keep the garden going whilst you're away.Patio plants can be moved into the shade meaning they will need less watering. Also being in close proximity to each other the moisture they let off will be aborbed by the other plants in the cluster. Whilst you will still need a kindly neighbour to water this might be only twice a week as opposed to every day. You can also help by putting smaller pots on capilliary matting similar to that used for house plants.
Before you holiday weed out flower beds and borders to make sure these critters don't seed whilst you're away and create months of hard work trying to get eliminate them. Once you're done water hard and then cover any bare soil with an organic mulch to capture moisture and prevent any further weeds. Generally speaking this means you won't have to water for up to 2-3 weeks unless it drought like conditions or you have young plants that haven't quite developed strong roots.
Hanging baskets are still a problem if you're away for some time and getting a neighbour to give the plants a drink every 2-3 days will still be needed. You can further help things by covering the soil with an absorbing gel so it cuts down on the need to water daily. The gel will slowly release water and also gather up a future supply when it rains.
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