The Christmas season is here again and there are so many things people are looking forward to doing. In Ghana, most people stay at home and wait for relatives to come over to visit, others spend the entire holiday season hanging out at restaurants and pubs, while a lot more visit relatives especially, grandparents in their hometowns.

No matter what you are doing, we here at meqasa are bent on giving you the best tips for the Christmas holidays. Today, we are offering some helpful tips on how to keep your garden or plants lush when you are gone away for a trip. Plants are like babies and they need to be taken care of as such, so if you are moving out of your home for a long period this holiday, make sure you take the following tips seriously.

1.      Tell your neighbours and friends – The first thing to do before you embark on the trip is to tell your neighbours and friends about your trip. Inform them of where exactly you are going to, how long you will be staying and about the plants you have in your home. Please specify how every plant should be taken care of.

2.   

   Cut Flowers – Some flowers in the garden need to be pruned before you embark on that trip. If you have plants like marigold and petunias on your flower bed, then you need to cut the leaves and the flowers so they do not overgrow while you are away. If you allow the leaves to overgrow while you are away, some of the plants will not receive enough light to prepare their food resulting in the drying up of such plants.

3.      Water the plants – Certain plants like begonias require a lot of water thus, the need to water the flower bed before you leave for the trip. This will prevent the water from the soil from drying out entirely and it will prevent the flowers from wilting. Potted plants should also be watered enough while you are going away. If you have friendly neighbours, make sure you tell them to keep an eye on the plants while you are away.

4.      Mulch the Plants and apply fertilizer – Mulching is covering the top soil with either straw or plastic bag. This prevents moisture in the soil from escaping. This practice keeps the soil moist while you are away on that vacation. The fertilizer also keeps the soil in good shape.

5.      Keep house plants cool – House or indoor plants should be kept in very cool area, specifically under a shady tree. If you are used to leaving your aloe vera, spider plant or the gerber daisy close to the window sill for sunlight then while you are going away, make sure you take them away from the direct sunlight. Ensure they are sitting in the cool of the room or else you will return from your trip and meet dead plants. If you are staying longer than 10 days then it’s very necessary you notify your neighbours of your trip.

6.      Pluck ripe fruits and vegetables – In your vegetable garden, ensure you pick all the ripe and almost ripe fruits from the garden before you leave. If the fruits are getting ripe then you inform your friend or neighbour to pluck them while you are away from home.