Watering5 min · updated October 10, 2026

Watering your garden while on vacation: leave with peace of mind

In short

A well-prepared garden can manage a few days on its own; beyond that, it needs watering that follows the weather rather than a fixed timer. Garden Connect works out what each zone needs every day and runs your automatic watering: your plants get just enough, with up to 50% less water than a standard timer.

Prepare the garden the day before
Water by the weather, not a fixed timer
Up to 50% less water with Garden Connect

Why does a standard watering timer waste water?

Because it waters at set times whatever the weather: too much after rain or in cool spells, not enough in a heatwave. Yet a plant's needs change every day with heat, sun, wind and air humidity: this is evapotranspiration.

Agronomists water by real need, starting from this weather-driven demand and then accounting for the plant and the water held in the soil. The reference method is published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in FAO-56. While you're away, nobody corrects a fixed program, so the gap grows day after day.

With Garden Connect: the same FAO-56 calculation runs every day for each zone, using the weather at your address. The result: up to 50% less water than a standard watering schedule. How it's calculated →

How long can your garden last without you?

It depends on how long you're gone: preparation is enough for a weekend, not for two summer weeks. The first to suffer are containers, window boxes, potted vegetables and new plantings: these are the ones to prioritise, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

A weekend
Good preparation is enough
A deep watering the day before, mulch on bare soil and pots grouped in the shade. No system needed.
With Garden Connect: the plan tells you the day before which zones to water.
A week
Drip irrigation on a schedule
Water goes straight to the roots: over 90% efficiency versus 50 to 70% for sprinklers, according to Colorado State University Extension.
Alternative: someone you trust to water.
With Garden Connect: share the plan with them, free for them, so they see exactly what to water.
Two weeks or more
Automatic watering that follows the weather
Garden Connect works out the needs every day and Gardena smart Water Control valves water accordingly, rain included.
Alternative: someone you trust, with the shared plan.

What should you do the day before you leave?

Four simple steps, done the day before or the morning you leave, give the garden a real water reserve. The first three follow the advice of the Royal Horticultural Society; the fourth sets up watering while you're away.

Water deeplyIn the morning, slowly, at the base of the plants rather than on the leaves, so the water soaks deep into the soil.
Mulch bare soilAt least 5 cm (2 in) of compost, bark or gravel reduces water loss from the soil.
Group pots in the shadeClose together, out of the afternoon sun, on saucers that hold a little extra water.
Check your zones in Garden ConnectPlants, soil, exposure: review each zone the day before, since changes apply from the next day.

How does Garden Connect water for you?

It works out how much water each zone needs every day, then triggers the watering if your valves are connected.

Describe your zonesYour plants (over 200 in the catalogue), your soil type and the exposure of each zone.
The app calculates dailyFAO-56 water balance with local weather: 10 years of records plus forecasts. Soil moisture is estimated, no sensor needed.
Watering runs on its ownGardena smart Water Control valves water to the calculation; you follow everything from your phone.

No valves? Share the garden with a neighbour (up to 2 people, free for them): they see the planned watering in the daily plan and mark it done. Frost and heat alerts reach you wherever you are, and a Gardena smart Sensor or a Netatmo weather station refines the calculation if you have one. See pricing.

In Garden Connect

Your garden watered by the weather, even from afar

Every day, the plan lists the garden's tasks by type. Tick them off and it adjusts.

Every daywhen to water each zone.Also includedamounts, durations, water saved and automatic watering with Gardena.

Create my plan Discover the watering app →

With Garden Connect: to compare with other tools, see our ranking of the best garden apps. See the top 7 →

Frequently asked questions

How much water does weather-based watering save?

With Garden Connect, up to 50% less water than a standard watering schedule. The saving comes from the days a timer waters for nothing: after rain, in cool weather or when the soil is still moist. The daily calculation only adds back the water the plants have used, according to the water balance.

Do I need a sensor for Garden Connect to work?

No. Soil moisture is estimated every day from the weather, the soil and the plants. A Gardena smart Sensor refines that estimate, and Netatmo indoor and outdoor modules refine the local temperature and humidity.

Can I follow the watering remotely?

Yes. The daily plan and each zone's watering are visible in the app, on iOS, Android and the web. With Gardena smart Water Control valves, watering is triggered automatically according to the calculation.

Is drip irrigation essential?

Not for a short trip: a deep watering, mulch and pots in the shade are enough. For a long absence it is the most water-efficient option: over 90% efficiency versus 50 to 70% for sprinklers, according to Colorado State University Extension.

Leave with peace of mind: we'll warn you if your garden runs short of water.

Garden Connect follows the moisture of each zone from the weather, and alerts you before the soil dries out.

Create my plan