Don’t let your plants stand in the way of a long-awaited getaway.

After pouring countless hours into your garden, it may seem unthinkable to leave it behind for a week or two. But everyone needs a summer vacation, and taking some extra steps before taking off will do wonders for your plants.

From expansive outdoor gardens to indoor potted plants, The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers tips and tricks for keeping plants healthy in your absence.

Keep an eye on the long-range weather forecast, and plan accordingly. A long weekend or week with scattered showers won’t be too hard on your plants, but longer vacations during a hot, dry spell can be disastrous without tactical planning.

Water will be the most critical need. Here are some tips for keeping your garden hydrated:

1. A day or two before you leave, weed the garden to reduce competition for moisture.
2. If there hasn’t been recent heavy rain, water plants deeply before thoroughly soaking everything.
3. Keep soil damp and cool for as long as possible by mulching with natural materials like shredded leaves, grass clippings, or straw and pine needles. Placing large stones or planks of wood between vegetable rows also will help keep the soil damp.
4. If available, place soaker hoses and drip irrigation on timers.

For watering containers and pots, it’s important to:

1. Group your pots together in a semi-shady part of the garden, soak them, mulch any exposed soil, and place drip emitters in each pot, if available.
2. Sink clay pots up to their rims in moist soil or a pile of damp wood chips to keep them from losing moisture through the sides.
3. In the week before your departure, try placing water spikes or glass water globes into the soil. Any long-necked bottle can be filled with water, turned upside down and pushed into the soil for gradual leakage. Self-watering pots are another great option. See how long the water lasts and if very thirsty plants still tend to wilt. If necessary, increase the water available by adding more or larger bottles.
4. If none of this works for you, get a friend to check on your containers and water them daily.

And performing some preventive garden maintenance is key to helping your plants survive and thrive while you’re away. Survey the garden before leaving and take care of any problems—like dealing with identified pests. It’s also a good idea to:

1. Weed, deadhead all bedding plants, and remove diseased foliage. If you’re leaving for two to three weeks, consider removing all fully open flowers and deadhead them.
2. Stake up plants that may outgrow their supports.
3. Shade lettuce and other leafy greens that don’t like direct sun.
4. Pinch flowers off herb plants to encourage new growth.
5. Don’t fertilize right before leaving—wait until you get back.
6. Mow the lawn right before leaving. Set the blades up high if it’s hot and/or dry to keep the grass green.
7. Harvest and pick vegetables that are close to harvestable size and anything that can ripen off the plant. For longer absences, remove all young beans, immature peas and baby zucchini—these plants will stop fruiting if they mature on the vine.
8. Move indoor plants to shady rooms. Place small pots on damp towels in the kitchen sink or bath, and water them well. When you return, immediately move them back to their usual positions and water deeply.

Visit The Old Farmer’s Almanac website for more information.