Completing these 3 easy steps, before leaving on vacation, will give your Oklahoma lawn and garden a good chance of surviving an Oklahoma summer in your absence. 

It is easy to forget as you plan your vacation, that your Oklahoma lawn and garden could very well experience consecutive century days, days of drying winds or days without any rain fail.  All of which, could have a negative impact on your lawn and plants.

This Oklahoma Red Dirt Gardener suggests completing these 3 easy steps prior to leaving on summer vacation.

1. Pull Weeds

You will want to pull any large weeds because they will only compete with your lawn, flowers, vegetables or shrubs for food and water.  Plus, who wants to come home to a bed of unsightly weeds.

2. Water Deeply Before Leaving

Whether we have had a rain or not, I always water deeply the night before leaving.  If you have an irrigation system be sure to set it to properly water while you are gone.

3. Apply A Generous Amount Of Mulch To Beds

I use a good shredded cedar mulch in my beds.  It helps to prevent evaporation and reduces the chances of weeds getting a foot hold.  An added benefit to using this type of mulch, is that it can be tilled in the following spring.

Do not fertilize right before you leave on vacation!  If the proper moisture is not available to your lawn and plants in our absence they could become very stressed and possibly die.

Have a great vacation and do not forget the birds!

 

Even this ole Turkey Vulture needs a bath.

Oklahoma’s “Original” Red Dirt Gardener