Summertime on the prairies usually includes a vacation away from home, whether it’s a weekend of camping or a longer road trip. If you are taking that vacation, here are a few tips you should follow to make sure your plants are ok while you are away.
- Protect your plants from excessive sun and heat exposure by putting up a shade cloth. More shade is better for your plants than more sun. Shade will help cool things off and reduce the growing rate of your plants, reduce transpiration and limit the amount of water your plants need.
- Water and feed your plants very heavily the day before or early in the morning on the day you leave.
- If your vacation is longer than three days, ask a neighbour or friend to check on your plants and water everything again.
- If you have an automatic waterer you want to set up, set it up a week before you leave and test it out to make sure it is working the way you want it to.
- Make sure your vent openers are working.
- Leave your gable vent and door open.
- Weed whatever you see needs to be weeded before you leave.
- Prune and stake any plants that need it. Things grow very quickly this time of year.
It’s always a risk to leave your garden in summer. There’s no way to prevent a hail storm, rogue frost or heat dome. Nature is unpredictable, but you can improve your chances of coming home to a healthy and happy greenhouse by following the steps above.
