The Covid Virus has put our travel plans on hold until this spring. But this will mean that we will be away from our annual gardens for this upcoming season. My question is, how should one best take care of our garden plots during our absence. We do not plan on planting any annual flowers or vegetables. I do not want our plots to merely grow up in weeds, so what is the best crop to sow and how should it be handled? We live in Zone 5, central US.
How to Put Gardening On Hold for a Season
- Thread starter gksmith5
- Start date
We had a similar issue many years ago and living in East Sussex near to Hastings UK as it happens, also living in Spain San Juan de Alicante, times spent in both places...We had a fairly small veggie plot and we covered it with the largest tarpaulin when we were away for any long periods. Just maybe your plot is much larger...so part could be covered as a thought...Hard one to know what to grow in your absence as any type of crop is still going to attract other growth......weeds of course just waiting in the wings....
That certainly is a thought. Even though our garden is much larger, inexpensive tarpaulins in strategic places might be feasible. Or maybe heavier black plastic. This might help sterilize the soil for the future. Thank you for the idea.
Just remember if it gets windy...A need to secure it is essential or it'll take off like a giant kite....we just used bricks around ours but anything similar would do the job...It will sterilize to some extent as the heat under any plastic will build up ....
Green manure might be a good idea, and would improve the soil without suffocating it 
www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk
Green Manure Phacelia tanacetifolia Seeds
Green Manure Phacelia tanacetifolia Seeds online from D. T. Brown Vegetable Seeds, Winter hardy so can be over wintered.
www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk