Annual vegetables & flowers & deer repellant

Q: We will be traveling next year and so not gardening in Seeley Lake. A friend will water the perennials enough to keep them alive but what can we do about annual vegetables and flowers? We don't want the beds to become weed patches while we are away.

A: If you do nothing about the beds, weeds are guaranteed. They have adapted to take advantage of local gardening conditions, and they will thrive in the rich soil of your garden. If it were my garden, I would mulch the beds heavily, any time after this growing season ends, but preferably before winter.

If garden beds are covered with mulch, wee...