Can veg gardeners go on holiday?

[Nikki Arnold]

Whether you enjoy to jetting off to far-away shores or prefer a British stay-cation, we all like to get away from time to time. But with ever changing weather, persistent pests and ambitious weeds posing new threats to your crops all the time – we want to know, do you think veg gardeners can really go on holiday?




Please note your answers may be edited and printed in the July issue of GYO magazine.

[Tripmeup]

Don't forget an Irish stay-cation....!! or sometimes called an "Irish rain-cation"

I think if you time it right and have things roughly where you want them to be at the particular time of year, then with help from family for watering, required harvesting or similar tasks, then go for it....
After all, maybe the plants too need a break from us with all the fussing over them

[Piggle]

I usually go away in Feb ... not so much because of the plants but by Feb I have had enough of the UK weather.

I've got an automatic watering system in case the urge takes me to go somewhere in the growing months ... I've learnt the hard way not to ask people to look after/ water things, someone once overwatered one of my cactus as it looked a bit "dry".

[SeleneMourie]

For the past 3 years I have been a container gardener whilst on the allotment waiting list and have found it practically impossible to go on holiday though the summer. I once went away for five days in the first week of July and came back to most of my pea plants dead,courgettes clinging on for dear life, tomatoes had given up the ghost and to top it off the strawberries had been attacked by slugs, insects and anything else that fancied a nibble! Until then I hadn't realised how much effort and time that I actually put into my vegetable plants and I certainly asked for a helping hand in watering the following year

This year it will be my first time going away with an allotment so I am certainly going to leaning on my neighbours and will be happy to help them if they are going away.

[lottie dolly]

we personaly do not enjoy holidays,but when we have a few days with family out of our area,peeps at the lottie are only to pleased to help,i only ask the one's that look after their own well,so yes,no reason why not,for most people,although some will have no one to call on,must add i get very anxous to see my babies,that when you notice how quick plant grow,

[solway cropper]

Real gardeners don't have holidays

[Sarico]

yes you can go in holiday but of course not in summer time... planning is important..the last few years since i started GYO i go at the end of may for few reason:the weather is the best in uk and if you plan to go away is not that hot ( specially some place where could be 35-40c in august), plus the plants don't need that much water because you only just put them in final position so the soil act as resevoir for a week...

[SarzWix]

I will only go away in the first 2 weeks or so of April - most of the hardier stuff is outside by then, and the main sowings of tender things haven't started yet. It's not so bad asking someone to look after a couple of trays of tomato seedlings, rather than propagators and many trays of bean, sweetcorn, pumpkin, squash, cucumber etc etc. Holidays are cheaper in April too

[Two_Sheds]

We can't afford a holiday this year, or next. If we did go away, it has to be in the winter when the garden is least busy. It makes more sense to me anyway ~ although our UK summers are rubbish, the winter is worse: I'd rather be away during the dank dull days of Jan/Feb

[BarleySugar]

I have a very nice neighbour who is willing to look after the animals, and coped magnificently with watering last year. We went away in August to fit in with work and uni term dates. This year we have booked the same, but I have the allotment too. Everything planted in the ground should be fine, but I will have to find another plotholder willing to help out with the greenhouse stuff. We are plant sitting for someone at the moment though, so she will probably be willing to lend us a hand. I also make sure I use water retention granules in pots and that plants are in the largest containers possible as these dry out more slowly.
Harvesting is another factor, last year after 10 days, I had a whole wheelbarrow of marrows, despite the fact that all courgettes had been removed before we went. I'll be doing the same this tear though, with the beans picked back too. My friend will not want to be spending too long harvesting, and I won't be able to tempt her with free veg as she will have her own.

[binley100]

Real gardeners don't have holidays

always knew I was only pretending ........

yes we have holidays but with a certain amout of planning, help etc......I'm lucky that I have a daughter at home who hopefully will keep things alive whilst I'm away .

[Kaiya]

I can only visit my allotment and seedlings on the weekend, so I have the issue of what to do for 4-5 days away all the time! My mum is available to water the seedlings and bagged potatoes near the house, but otherwise I grow my plants hard and the allotment plants have to take their chances with just a mulch. I'm hoping a good mulch will combat my most common issues - weeds and drought!

Special pots and baskets and perhaps tomatoes also get the gel powder to help them survive periods of drought.

[Bren In Pots]

We go camping
I grow toms and cucs in the greenhouse border so before we go I water really well then use drip bottles, for my chilli and peppers I've got capillary matting on the shelving. Outdoor veg is watered then left to its self anything in tubs is taking into the shade and stood on gravel trays with an inch or two of water in.
Not had any real losses but it is a gamble.

[smc999]

Surely that's what parents were invented for? Instructions of what, how much and when to water!

[piskieinboots]

Real gardeners don't have holidays

Real gardeners don't need a holiday