Every summer, I have to sympathize with the people who leave their gardens in the care of someone else to water and then return to an unattractive landscape. You deserve to take a break. Your plant babies are worth it, and no one else can take care of them as well as you. Although I joke that I don’t vacation between March and September (“the season”), I am always obsessed with the happenings in my garden. Here’s what I do to cope with the garden, no matter when it is.

Automatic irrigation

When we talk about garden murder, the most common problem is watering. It’s a fact that no one will ever water like you. This is another reason to use an in-ground or above-ground solution. So, there is no room for human error. When I use the word irrigation, I’m referring to drip irrigation that is applied at the roots of plants. I don’t mean an overhead sprinkler connected to a hose. Smart controllers are great for drip irrigation because they sync the watering to the local weather station. Your garden will receive more or less water depending on the weather.

The ideal is to have several zones in your garden. Each zone should be equipped with dedicated irrigation, and the cameras will focus on that area (see below). If you notice a particular zone needs more water, you can turn it on remotely from your phone. A smart controller allows you to change the program when you leave.

Sensor de sécurisation des eaux

When I leave my irrigation system to run, my only concern is that there could be a leak in the line. This would result in a huge amount of water being lost. As I can’t see the leak happening, I need to be able to stop it. Smart turn-off valves are the answer. I use Flo by Moen, which monitors my water pipes and shuts down the water if a leak occurs.

Outdoor cameras

The smart cameras that I installed in my garden to monitor my yard proved to be the most useful tool. It’s not a crime yet, but it is a great benefit to be able to monitor my vegetables from a distance and zoom in so much that I can see a leaf fungus. I can also learn about the wildlife in my area, such as raccoons. The cameras can also let me know when someone is helping in the garden (or not) and what they are doing. It’s a great way to see what’s going on in my garden. Eufy Solocams are my picks. They come in both wireless and wired versions. The Eufy Solocams are both wired and wireless. They have two lenses with pan and tilt.

Smart locks for access

If I want to do something while I’m away, such as raking, fertilizing, or mowing the lawn, then access is required. A smart lock on my shed allows me to let people in for a short time easily. If you want to use trellis, it’s important to be able to grab the tape. Smart gate locks are also available. You don’t need to give anyone a key, and your yard is still protected.

A weather station

Even though I have access to weather data from a station a few blocks down the road, I’ve always wanted one. Tempest sent me one to try out this year, and it’s one of my favourite pieces of technology. It’s important to be able to tell what the weather will be like when I am away. If it is going into a heat or freeze dome, knowing what the weather will look like is essential. The more advanced notice I can give my gardener, the better since these events will require them to take action. This also means that my watering system will be getting better with localized data.

Expectations for help should be realistic.

The time factor is important. You may be away for a week or even a few months. My garden can be left alone for no more than five days. You’ll need reliable help for a few days, no matter how many smart checks are in place. I don’t ask the support staff to water my plants (it is too important to trust someone else with such an important task), but instead, I monitor the tech to make sure everything is running smoothly. I prefer to schedule a time to have them come over and then FaceTime me so that I can show them areas that require attention or point out things via video. I pay for gardeners because they are real workers, and I want to be sure that the work is done.