Can You Go A Week Without Watering Your Garden?

The thought of a garden having to go a week without water is enough to give any gardener anxiety. However, you can’t let your worries about your garden keep you from taking the vacation that you have needed for a while. So, can you go a week without watering your garden?

You can go a week without watering your garden if you thoroughly water your plants beforehand. Drought-tolerant plants will do particularly well, but it helps to put in mulch to ensure your garden retains water. Many homeowners run a soaker hose from a rain barrel and weave it throughout the garden or run sprinklers to water their plants while they are away.

If all else fails, you may have to ask a friend or neighbor to water your plants while you’re gone. They will likely only need to water your plants 1-2 times during the week you are gone. Follow along as we explore everything you need to know about going a week without watering your garden.

Outdoor plants can often go a week without water. However, it depends on the plant and how drought-tolerant it is. For example, many plants, like Boston ferns and pitcher plants, need as much water as possible.

Many plants can survive a week without water, but you must water them well before you leave for your trip. Make sure that the soil drains well and stays moist consistently for several days before you leave. Thoroughly water your plants one last time before you take a seven-day break.

Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water, and they can also help water your plants while you’re gone. This requires some forward-thinking, however, as it will only work if you’ve kept a rain barrel outside for a while. Place at least one barrel outside in your yard to collect water when it rains.

Before you go out of town for a week, take inventory and make sure the barrel has plenty of water. Top it off with a hose if necessary. Now, simply run a soaker hose from your rain barrel throughout your garden, and the water will slowly release.

Be careful and try to cover all your flower beds, if possible. You may need to run multiple soaker hoses if you have a large garden with spread-out flower beds.

Something as simple as a plastic bottle can help water your plants when you’re gone for a week. Twist the caps off of anything from a 12-ounce bottle to a large two-liter bottle. Poke 1-3 holes in the cap, fill the bottle with water, and put the cap back on.

Dig out some space in the soil between two plants, flip the bottle over, and put it in the soil with the cap facing downward. Pack the soil tightly around the bottles, and it should slowly release water into the soil while you’re gone. Repeat this process as many times as possible with as many bottles as you need depending on the size of your garden.

Not only can mulch protect your plants from weeds, but it can also help with water retention. Water retention is essential when you aren’t able to tend to your plants as much as possible. Mulch lets plants hold onto 25% more water than they would otherwise.

Install mulch a week or longer before you must leave. Water your plants consistently during that time and give them plenty of water before your trip. That way, the water will evenly distribute within the mulch and soil as if you were watering it while you were gone.

Many plants can go 2-3 months without water in the winter. Perennials in climates with cold falls and winters have adapted to withstand extreme weather conditions. Plants shed their leaves and retain as much water as possible during winter.

That’s why it’s important to water your plants as much as possible before the first frost of the year. Many homeowners also fertilize their lawns and gardens in the fall.

This helps protect the plants and root systems so they can quickly bounce back in the spring. It’s best to fertilize the area in early fall as waiting too long is often useless.

You can go a week without watering your garden, especially if you have drought-tolerant plants. However, it helps to use soaker hoses and rain barrels to evenly distribute water throughout your garden while you’re away. It also helps to fill plastic bottles with water, poke holes in the caps, and turn them upside down in the soil.

This will slowly release water to feed your plants while you’re gone. Otherwise, you should install mulch and thoroughly water your plants before you go so they retain water. Only leave your plants alone for two weeks if they are completely drought-tolerant, or else they will die.