Are you going on vacation? How to manage your vegetable garden in your absence?
Finally the holidays! Not really for a gardener. He leaves worried. Won't his tomatoes rot? Won't aphids, slugs, snails and other mealybugs feast on young vegetables? If there are no caring neighbors to take care of his vegetable garden, then he must take some precautions. Here is a small list of things to do before heading off with your feet fanned out by the pool.
Hoe and clean
The ideal is to leave the vegetable garden spotless before leaving. It is recommended to hoe well in order to chase away all the weeds and above all not to let the seeds spread everywhere in your growing bed. Also, good aeration of the soil slows down the arrival of pests. You have to take time to weed well and pull out thistles and other dandelions at the roots. Don't forget to remove suckers from your tomato plants.
Water then mulch
Just before leaving, generous watering is essential. The youngest plants will be favored. The most water-intensive vegetables such as cucurbits or beans will receive a double dose, young shrubs will not be forgotten. As soon as you have watered, mulch your vegetables. Good mulching prevents more than 50% of evaporation. The idea is to keep the soil moist. This extends your vacation by a few days.
In case of a well-deserved extended vacation, then it makes sense to invest in an automatic watering system, especially during the summer. Drip systems plug directly into the water supply and have a timer that allows you to adjust the watering. Some allow the vegetable garden to be watered in different areas with flow rates adapted to each planting. Now is the time to add a little natural fertilizer if necessary.
Bring your plants in
To prevent your young plants from blowing away in the slightest gust of wind, do not hesitate to protect them. If you have a greenhouse, then bring your plants into pots after having previously placed clay balls at the bottom, or gel balls which are like sponges. Many solutions are available to the gardener for watering at a lower cost, such as oyas, earthen containers which allow the water to filter very slowly, ideal for small family gardens. The important thing is that they are in the shade, less exposed to bad weather. However, you will need to be able to count on someone not to let the plants dry out on site.
Protect your garden
Summer is traditionally the period when small creatures are most likely to cause damage to your vegetable garden: cabbage moth, slugs, aphids, etc. no need to use heavy treatments to get rid of them. A few simple and effective means will undoubtedly limit the damage: anti-insect nets, decoctions, manure, we take a look at some solutions .
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