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Your garden can suffer when you're not at home to look after it. Fortunately, whether you’re going on holiday or travelling for work, there are plenty of simple things to do to keep your garden healthy, tidy and well-watered while you're away.
Here are some gardening tips to keep in mind before you travel. Let us know if you have any questions about them, and we’d be happy to assist.
Clean your garden
Before leaving for your trip, tidy up your garden. This makes your plants better equipped to deal with a few days of stress or an altered care schedule. A well-maintained garden also gives the impression that you are at home, potentially deterring criminals who may be planning on damaging or breaking into your property.
Here is a checklist of things to do when cleaning your garden:
- Give hedges and shrubs a quick trim to bring them into shape.
- Check if your trees need trimming, especially those with overhanging branches. Exercise caution when trimming trees. It’s always safer to seek professional help, especially if your branches are near powerlines.
- Clean your drains. Ensure they run clear with no obstructions. Don’t forget to lift the tops from drainage sumps and remove any debris. This can also help reduce the risk of a fire, especially in hotter climates.
Clear fallen leaves
- Clear fallen leaves. Rake or blow paths, walkways, decks and lawns. Leaves can stain hard surfaces over time if they’re not removed.
Water your plants
Watering your entire garden before leaving can help your plants stay healthy. Give all your plants a deep soaking by watering them slowly for longer than usual. This allows the water to penetrate the soil down to where it's needed most.
If your soil repels water, spread a granular soil wetter before watering.
For more tips on how to water your garden efficiently, check out my guide on How to water your garden.
Remove weeds
Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients and moisture. Removing them reduces the chances of your plants becoming malnourished while you’re away. Most weeds grow really quickly, so there may be a surplus of them when you’re back.
I recommend checking out Bunnings' article on How to weed your lawn for step-by-step instructions on removing weeds efficiently.
For those looking for organic and pet-friendly ways to kill weeds, don't miss my guide on How to remove weeds without harming your pets.
Add mulch
When your soil is weed-free and moist, add a generous layer of mulch. Mulch helps retain moisture in your soil and is a great way of keeping your plants healthy while you’re away. It can also help control weed growth.
Before mulching, I recommend spreading a quality fertiliser like Osmocote for more efficient results.
Don’t forget to add mulch to your potted plants. Adding soil wetter before watering them can also help greatly with moisture loss. If your potted plants are under direct sunlight, move them to a shady spot while you’re travelling.
Mow your lawn
Mowing your lawn is a great way to keep your grass in check while you are away.
Don’t be tempted to mow your grass shorter than usual in order to keep it manageable for longer. Shorter grass tends to grow more vigorously.
Cutting your grass overly short can also damage your lawn, especially in hotter climates. When exposed to direct sunlight, runners and shoots often get sunburnt. This leads to an unsightly patchy brown lawn.
Feed your lawn
Applying a hose-on fertiliser and a hose-on seaweed tonic are excellent ways of feeding your lawn while you're away, especially for those living in drier areas.
If rain is expected while you’re gone, I recommend applying a quality granulated lawn fertiliser and then watering it lightly with a seaweed tonic.
Invest in a quality irrigation system 
Feed your lawn before you travel
If you have the time and resources, install an irrigation system to water your plants while you’re away. A drip system connected to a basic computer timer is ideal. You can also add a rain sensor to ensure your garden isn’t overwatered when it’s raining.
Irrigation systems are recommended especially for those with vegetable gardens. Adding trickler or dripper irrigation heads to large pots is also a good idea.
My guide on How to install a drip irrigation watering system may be useful for those looking to install a simple watering solution.
Ask someone to tend to your garden
Call in those favours with your neighbours, friends or family members and ask them take care of your garden while you’re away.
They can assist in watering your garden or removing weeds. Give them a tour of your garden before leaving and provide written instructions for watering and plant care.
How to maintain your garden
The Bunnings Workshop community team has also shared these helpful guides related to maintaining your garden that you might find handy:
Need more help with maintaining your garden while you're away?
The Bunnings Workshop community is here to assist if you have any specific questions about keeping your garden healthy while you're travelling. Don't hesitate to hit the Start a discussion button and let us know your needs.
