[ptarmigan]

Hi

We are going away for most of August.  Some friends will be around to keep an eye on the allotment - but not regularly (once a week at most).  I'm planning to water heavily and mulch with mushroom compost and compost before we go.  Any other suggestions - for stuff to use as mulch and generally how to encourage the plants to stay alive.

It's squashes, beans (runner and french), brassicas mostly.....

Any suggestions welcomed!

[simonwatson]

I don't water anything at the allotment (bar freshly sown seed). Unless we have a real drought that dries the soil out you should get away with it just fine.

Getting your friends to pick the ripe beans weekly will probably help.

Other than that, I'd expect everything to be quite happy on its own.

[mumofstig]

Other than that, I'd expect everything to be quite happy on its own.

So would I 

[RJR_38]

I did 10 days in the hottest weeks last year with no problem and I am doing 3 weeks for my honeymoon this year and don't expect there to be any major problems (other than when I should dig up my potatoes haha!)

[ptarmigan]

RJR congratulations!

Thank you for the replies. That really helps. I can go away and stop worrying. Good idea to get people to pick beans.

[Totty]

As mentioned, there is no need to water anything but recently transplanted plants, but, don't be tempted to go up and water a bit here and there beforehand. They will become reliant on it. If you force the plants to search for moisture from the get go, they will survive all but the hottest and most prolonged droughts we get.

Totty

[Madame Cholet]

RJR congratulations!

Thank you for the replies. That really helps. I can go away and stop worrying. Good idea to get people to pick beans.

and courgettes