A Little Sand Between Our Toes

Trading the farm for the ocean!

This week, our Evans Homes & Gardens family is packing up the car and heading to South Bethany for a few days together. It’s always been a great family tradition—a short drive to the shore where we can slow down, listen to the waves, soak up the sunshine, and enjoy quality time with family and friends.

Of course, before we leave, there’s one thing on all of our minds...

The garden.

Every gardener knows that little voice that says, “Who’s going to water everything while I’m gone?”

The good news is that a healthy garden is often more resilient than we think. Nature has been taking care of itself long before any of us came along. While our plants certainly appreciate a helping hand, they don’t need us hovering over them every moment of every day.

A little preparation before you leave can go a long way—and it allows you to truly enjoy your vacation knowing you’ve set your garden up for success.

Before You Hit the Road

Give everything a deep drink.

Water slowly and thoroughly the day before you leave. Deep watering encourages stronger root systems that can better handle a few warm summer days.

Refresh your mulch.

A fresh layer of mulch acts like a blanket, helping the soil stay cooler and slowing moisture loss while you’re away.

Move potted plants together.

Containers dry out much faster than garden beds. Group them in a spot with afternoon shade to help them conserve moisture.

Ask a neighbor—or trade favors.

One of our favorite gardening traditions is neighbors helping neighbors. Offer to water each other’s gardens during vacations. You might even come home to fresh-picked tomatoes waiting on your porch.

Let irrigation do the work.

A simple timer, soaker hose, or drip system can take care of much of the work while you’re away, giving both you and your plants a little peace of mind.

Harvest before you go.

Pick ripe vegetables, herbs, and flowers before leaving. Many plants respond by producing even more while you’re gone.

Trust the Garden

One of the beautiful lessons gardening teaches us is trust.

We prepare the soil. We plant the seed. We water faithfully. But eventually, we have to let nature do what it was designed to do.

Sometimes the healthiest thing for both the gardener and the garden is to step away for a few days.

So this week, we’ll be trading watering cans for beach chairs, listening to the ocean instead of the birds in the garden, and returning refreshed, ready to see how our plants have grown while we were gone.

We hope you find time this summer to do the same.