Tips to keep your garden alive while you are away on vacation.

Summer is coming to an end—and that means many homeowners are taking off for one last vacation before the temperatures drop and fall is upon us.

But if you pride yourself on having the nicest yard in town, the last thing you want to come back to after a nice, relaxing vacation? A dead garden—which is why there are steps you need to take before your vacation to make sure your garden stays in tip-top shape while you’re gone.

So what, exactly, are those steps?

Below are a few tips to keep your garden alive and thriving while you’re traveling and enjoying your end-of-summer vacation, including:

Add extra mulch. You want to do everything you can to prevent your garden from drying out while you’re away—and mulch is a great way to do it. Add some extra mulch to your garden, then do a heavy watering before you leave; the mulch will help to keep moisture in the soil.

Cut back flowers. Cutting back your flowers also cuts down on the amount of water your garden needs to thrive—so grab your shears and make a few bouquets for friends and family before you leave for your trip.

Ask someone to look after your garden. If you’re going to be gone more than a week, you’ll need to ask someone to come and tend to your garden while you’re away; otherwise, you risk things getting out of control (and beyond repair). While it may be tempting to ask whoever is most convenient (like a neighbor) if you want your garden to stay in tip-top shape, make sure to ask someone with gardening experience or hire a professional gardener.