Going on Holiday?

[David_L]

Hi

I know it seems a bit early but at this time of year people's thoughts start to turn to Summer holidays. As a fairly new greenhouse owner I wonder how people cope with holidays of a week or more in the (UK) warmer months. Leave the door open/shut? Water, shade anything vulnerable open all the vents and hope for the best? I'd be interested in hearing what others do, or are we all cactus widows/widowers and never dare to leave our precious charges in the Summer months?

[Roy]

Hi David,
I do much the same as yourself. I put netting over the open doors and windows to keep cats , squirrels and birds out- I take eception to the birds thinking seedlings are little green grubs and pulling them up!
Fortunately another member of the branch lives very close to me and if the weather becomes threatening he comes around and sorts things out but most of the time everything is ok.
ps I don't take winter holidays! :-))))))))))))))

[Chris43]

David,
I usually leave the doors open, even if when I leave its not very warm, but at least this gives a good head start to ventilation. I have autovents, so that will add more if it does get hot. And I usually ater pretty well before I leave, so if I am away for 3 weeks nothing will harm (I have mostly cacti). I haven't used shading recently, but I will this year after last July's scorching of a few plants. That just will stay up, whether I am at home or away.
At this stag eof theyear, my seedlings are usually still in their polythene bags in the propagator, so dessication isn't usually a problem. This year though, if I sow all the seeds I have, there will be some that are out of the propagator, but I won't unbag them until any summer holiday is past.

[Bill]

David_L wrote:

are we all cactus widows/widowers and never dare to
> leave our precious charges in the Summer months?
>

I am afraid that's me, well slight exaggeration, as well as working full time we have a farm, so we are busy during the spring/summer with hay making and general maintanance, have 2 holiday cottages, we grow all most of our own veg, and I am also one of the organisors of the local horticultural and craft show, so don't have much time for holidays.

And anyway we live in one of the moist beautiful parts of the country so who wants to leave it during the summer,we always wait until the Autumn half term.

[Julie]

When I am off wandering, I make sure the forbies have their car window shades suckered on the window. They were ?1 for 4, so a greenhouse could be covered cheaply enough, but it would look pretty odd! The whitewash is probably better.

I put ornaments in the way to discourage the cats from walking past them, although they are now getting big enough to act as roadblocks all by themselves.

As cats can get in a space about 3 inches wide, even (especially?) when it's in a seemingly inaccessible place, I'd mesh any vent.

My mother has strict instructions on watering. I think we need a chart this summer, as she is bound to forget about Lithops. This summer she will also be elected the official photographer and reporter on the state of baby forbies. Wherever I am, I can recieve photos on the phone.

If I have my own place, any plants I have get taken to my parents' house for babysitting.

David, if there are other cactus lovers in your area, you could stagger your holidays and keep an eye on eachothers' greenhouses?