Away-from-home gardening can be a bit of a nightmare, where you can feel more like a plant murderer than a nurturing carer! But what if there were some relatively simple hacks that could greatly increase the chances of returning home to a flourishing garden and healthy, vibrant houseplants? It might sound too good to be true, but a combination of any of these is a game-changer. From irrigation systems to pest control, here are some suggestions.
Programmable Robotic Lawnmowers
Robotic lawnmowers are probably the most useful smart garden devices when you are away from home a lot. Whether you travel regularly or simply work all day and into the evening, a handy automated gadget like this can get the work done. If you don’t have the time or energy to use electric lawn mowers, programmable robotic machines are an excellent alternative, as you can set timers for when you are away from home or switch them on remotely when needed.
Away-from-Home Gardening with Irrigation
Anyone who has anything more than a basic setup in the garden will understand the need for irrigation. Irrigation takes away a lot of the work of watering the garden and can be a Godsend when you are away from home, with more benefits than simply providing water to your plants:
- Irrigation releases water based on specific needs to reduce under and overwatering.
- Smart irrigation systems can monitor the soil, work on a schedule, and adjust watering.
- Irrigation systems can be automated to work for your garden when you aren’t home.
Add Much More Mulch than Usual
Mulching is a vital part of gardening and has many benefits. For example, it adds a protective layer that prevents too much water from getting through to the roots of your plants, and it also helps hold back weed growth. Organic mulch such as bark chips, manure, and compost will help protect your garden while you are away. However, being away means you can’t actively tend to your plants, so add more mulch than usual before you leave to protect them for longer.
Choose Low-Maintenance Plants
You don’t need to have a super green thumb to enjoy the benefits of a garden. There are actually some plants that require surprisingly little tending, such as any perennial in the garden and houseplants such as snake plants and succulents. These don’t usually require any kind of pruning or harvesting and will happily grow on their own terms in most conditions. Some hardy herbs like rosemary and thyme are also pretty self-sufficient and grow well on their own.
Away-from-Home Gardening with Water Concentration
The average person kills around 20% of the plants they care for, but you don’t need to worry when you add easy plants for people who travel a lot. Some plants can pretty much take care of themselves, such as succulents. However, you can group outdoor plants for efficient watering.
Establish plant zones
Known as “hydrozoning”, grouping plants by their water needs can help with garden efficiency. When you aren’t at home, this method increases the ambient humidity for longer-lasting water.
Coordinate soil and containers
Different soil types can determine how long water stays where it should, and coordinating plants by soil water absorption can help them get the water they need for a longer period of time.
Adjust the watering setup accordingly
Grouping your plants will help streamline how they are hydrated while you are away. It might be necessary to install drip hoses or irrigation based on the specific needs of the plants you have.
Grouping plants by their water needs helps prevent under and overwatering so you can travel with peace of mind knowing your plants are relatively safe. However, it helps to adjust your watering setup after grouping plants together to ensure they get the hydration they need.
Add Some Self-Watering Planters
It’s easy to add irrigation systems outdoors, but only if you have the right type of garden. Perhaps you have a cement garden or even no garden, so you only have houseplants. In these cases, irrigation is pretty much out of the question, so what can you do? Planters are excellent for tending to your plants when you are away, as they can be deep enough for root growth and provide good drainage. However, you can also use self-watering planters for longer vacations.
Plant Some “Thuggy” Shrubs
There are some plants that grow fast and hard! Known as “thugs” because they are so tough, they will cover the ground very quickly, providing protection to nearby roots and shade for plants that don’t do well in direct sunlight. These are excellent for looking after your plants when you aren’t there, and good examples include Vinca minor, mint, and Japanese Anemones, which will actually spread underground and protect the other roots from invasion and keep moisture.
Away-from-Home Gardening Pest Control
Protection against pets is a vital part of gardening, which is of course much more challenging when you travel or don’t spend a lot of time at home. However, there are some tricks you can try that will help prevent pests from decimating your beloved greenery when you aren’t there:
- Install physical barriers such as pest netting to prevent little beasties getting through.
- Some bugs will avoid plants sprinkled with diatomaceous earth as it destroys their shells.
- Deter flying insects by companion planting fragrants such as lavender and rosemary.
For larger yards or gardens, it also helps to prepare basic maintenance tools before leaving for a trip. Along with pest netting, mulch, and companion planting, having portable weed sprayers for yard garden lawn use can make it easier to manage weeds and apply garden treatments evenly before extended time away from home.
Use Slow-Release Fertilizers
Some plants need consistent nutrition, but being away from home means you can’t mix up liquid feed all the time. However, you can use slow-release fertilizer granules that constantly feed the plants and can last for months. These work by dissolving slowly into the soil, constantly providing the nutrients that your plants thrive on. As such, they play a vital role in keeping them alive, so you return home to well-fed, vibrant, and well-grown plants in a flourishing garden.
Summary
Programmable robotic lawnmowers are the ultimate tool for away-from-home gardening. Of course, you may have more than a lawn, and water concentration will help with efficiency for flourishing and vibrant plants, made even better when you mix in some slow-release fertilizer.
Last Updated on June 16, 2026
