Keep your plants happy while you’re on holiday with these handy tips from GardenShop

  • Use a potting soil with moisture-retaining polymers, like Stockosorb, which locks moisture in the ground.
  • Move indoor plants out of direct sunlight and place them behind windows with sheer curtains.
  • Group outdoor pots close together so the plants provide each other with shade and humidity.
  • To conserve water in outdoor containers, cluster the pots together in a location sheltered from the wind.
  • Put sensitive plants inside ‘tents’ made from old plastic bags. Place them upside down over each plant. Use stakes as ‘tent poles’ to keep the plastic off the foliage. Poke a few small holes in the bags to allow oxygen to reach the plant.
  • A layer of mulch around your plants will prevent rapid water loss. Mulched plants lose 25% less water than un-mulched plants. Soak your garden well then add a layer of mulch.
  • You can also bury potted plants to the rim of the pot temporarily and place mulch around them.