[metmom]

I figured that it would dry out.

We go on vacation for a couple weeks every summer.

I can’t do anything about the watering.

I did google cinder block gardens and someone had a picture of the blocks with the hoops in them for covered gardens, for the floating row covers. I thought that was a great idea.

[Califreak]

You could do a little custom drip thingie on a timer...

I have seen some gardeners who custom rig their irrigation all the time. I’m too afraid of goofing it up but really, how hard can it be? I have a kit that I’ve been too chicken to mess with for years. I’ll have to try and set it up this year.

I put little Harbor Freight soaker hoses all over the place last year and it really made a major difference. I wish I’d done it years ago but was never good at gardening so figured it would be a waste of money.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I am in a similar situation as you.

I have gotten big plastic barrels, tapped them with small faucet bear bottom, ran gravity fed small drip irrigation lines into green house and into some raised bed gardens.

Put electronic timers on all lines.

The raised beds are actually crates....we had terrible rabbit problems last year and I had to get everything up off the ground.

This year ai am chicken wire fencing all around my garden to keep the rabbits out.

I am going to fill the entire garden with wood chips and let that be the mulch.

I used to do it that way years ago. It works great and do not let anyone try to tell you that it is bad for trees or soil....it is nature’s way.

But short term solution was finding free barrels, buying drip irrigation stuff....and free wooden crates from the industrial areas near me.

That system allowed me to go on vacation I august for 10 days and return to a thriving garden without relying on paying some teenager to water my stuff.