Is there ever a good time?

[pigletwillie]

We are off on our travels about France shortly. May has to be the most rediculous time of year to go on holiday.

Its betwixt and between the frosts finishing and safe planting out of tender crops so to be on the safe side I have sown everything from sweetcorn to pumpkins, Gigantes beans to courgettes and kenya beans to cucumber all in pots positioned in light shade in the courtyard so our neighbour can water when required and cover with triple thickness fleece if a frost is forecast. All are timed, sowing wise, so that they will be ready to plant out upon our return. There are some 40 trays of various oddments that will be glad of hearing our key in the door.

So, is there ever a good time to go away for a summer holiday? (in the summer, not long haul in the winter)

May is planting time, June is watering time, July and August are watering and harvesting time, and September is big time jaring bottling and preserving time.

After that barring an Indian summer, its starting to get dark and is colder so no sunbathing.

Is there?

[Ellasmum]

Oh Piglet I know what you mean. I am going away in the school hols (July) and am really worried about my garden...OH thinks I am bonkers.
Last year my Next Door Neighbour said she would water everything and I showed her around. When I came home 2 weeks later half of my crops were dead as she had forgotten to water some of them..
This year I have even more raised beds and a bigger greenhouse.
Sam

[JennieAtkinson]

Know the feeling! for three years we had a holiday in Spain in May and I just didn't know what to do with everything! Then last year we went in September instead, but I still came back to a jungle, underwatered in the polytunnel and lots of crops lost. Got nothing planned this year apart from a week here and a week there sailing with OH - He sails somehwere and I join him for a week! Got to be good.

I need to find somewhere in March with a temp of about 25 degrees - any ideas?

[Pottypotter]

I need to find somewhere in March with a temp of about 25 degrees - any ideas?

Egypt you can get some good deals in march.

[wellie]

Do what I do - don't go away at all! Saves money, cracking food, all home comforts, no dodgy tummy, clean drinking water, no screaming children, your own pool (blow-up child's one on the lawn!) fabulous views and country air, and all your plants get watered as you'd like them to be, and even the greenhouse gets properly ventilated and shaded.

Do you think I should get out more?!

[Alice]

Enjoy your holiday to France Piglet. But in the gardening season - no, I don't think there is a good time. We tend to go on holiday in March and October, with only a long weekend in the gardening season.
We've gone before when other people said they would water for us etc - disaster !
Maybe your neighbours and family members are more reliable than mine. Have a good holiday.

[TonyF]

PW, if you need a gardening fix, wander further south next year and I'd be pleased to have the help!

I've cancelled my May trip back to UK and I'm not coming back until November because I don't want to leave the garden - I missed it in year one, garden still being built and problems with house prevented gardening and year two, just got things going and 4 friends killed in car crash locally - so this is my first full summer in France and I'm not missing any of it, E and OE.

And enjoy France as I'm sure that you will.

[pigletwillie]

You supply the vino Tony and we will dig, weed and plant all day long.

[Mrs Dobby]

Have a lovely holiday PW! Hope you both enjoy it and come back refreshed and relaxed!

We normally holiday for 2 weeks in wales (camping), but with this being our first year having the plot, we've decided not to go away for our main hols, but perhaps to have a few weekends away instead! Guess we've discovered that there's never a good time to holiday in the growing season too!

[bubblewrap]

We went away in July(Crete) last year our son did the watering but not the weeding Ooh! dear it was wild? It took a week to catch up.

[SarzWix]

We're lucky to have a green-fingered friend, who looks after plants, greenhouse and the cat, but I still hate going away between April & Sept. We went to Wales in Easter hols last year, and I missed a whole week of sowing! Not planned anything this year yet. I have bought a tent, but can't afford the gear to go with it! (I hate money....)

[bramble]

We too are off on hols for two weeks next month. I dread leaving the greenhouse because like LJ I don't know whether to leave the door open or closed. My daughter will weater plants grudgingly as she does'nt like gardening and does'nt have a lot of time as she works part-time. If it were left to me we would go in October. We have gone to the Canaries twice in the winter. Lovely sunny weather but very short days and long dark nights.

[madderbat]

I have bought a tent, but can't afford the gear to go with it! (I hate money....)

Do you Freecycle? we have lots of offers round here for camping equipment being passed on. Try it, you can request things you'd like. Beats the money thing....
Find your local group here http://freecycle.org/display.php?reg...ited%20Kingdom

[Paulottie]

Don't I know PW- our kids at school so I am compelled to take them to see French family every August during premium rate. Every year we come back to lacework brassicas and two foot runner beans offset by a field of weeds. However well intentioned/kind the neighbour, friends and family thing is- it doesn't ever quite work unless you coax along your babies youself especially if you you grow on our scale. But try too relax and enjoy.....or take up skiing next year.

[muckdiva]

Do what I do - don't go away at all! Saves money, cracking food, all home comforts, no dodgy tummy, clean drinking water, no screaming children, your own pool (blow-up child's one on the lawn!) fabulous views and country air, and all your plants get watered as you'd like them to be, and even the greenhouse gets properly ventilated and shaded.

Do you think I should get out more?!

Last year we went camping - in our garden. Handy for all the chores!