As the record-breaking heatwave continues and potential hosepipe bans are imminent, how it is possible to take care of your garden during the extreme weather? With all of this heat and the uncharacteristic lack of rainfall, gardens all over the country are starting to suffer.
Of course, many of us have planted traditional gardens that can easily cope with the British climate, however, they aren’t so used to coping with such high temperatures. All of the hard work that you put into a garden can be easily ruined with such an unprecedented sustained heat wave, so we have put together some steps to make sure that your garden gets through the summer looking as glorious as possible.
Firstly, you need to recognise the signs of heat damage. When plants start to yellow and droop then it’s time to give them a good watering. The best times to water your garden are in the morning and last thing at night when its much cooler. It is a myth that watering in the morning causes the leaves to scorch, it’s just best to avoid watering during the hottest part of the day as the moisture will evaporate very quickly. Give plants a good feed once a week or so to ensure that they have all of the necessary nutrients.
When there is a hosepipe ban, there are a few things you can do to make sure that your plants still get the moisture they need. Watering directly at the base of plants, rather from the top down will help to ensure that the water is used efficiently and apply a thick layer of mulch to the tops of the soil to retain moisture and prevent soil from drying out. Use a good quality watering can to limit the amount of water you use. You can also collect water from your shower and washing up using a bucket and re-use it on the garden.
One of the biggest water-stealers are weeds, so spend some time eliminating them from your garden so that your grass and plants have a better chance at getting much-needed nutrients and moisture. Younger weeds can be easily pulled out with the root intact, however, larger weeds will need to be cut off at the base and re-cut several times until the roots die.
Avoid cutting the grass as this will help protect moisture evaporating from the soil. The longer the blades are, the more shade it provides to the earth so if you simply must cut the grass, leave it 1/2 inch or so longer than you would usually cut it. The same rule applies to pruning, sure pruning encourages new growth, however, this is not what you want in a heatwave as the plant will become much more vulnerable. Remove any dead or diseased parts but leave the rest to do its thing until you give it a really good cut in the winter.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook for all the latest deals and seasonal offers. If you want to speak to a friendly and helpful member of our team simply get in touch by calling 01872 575088 or email our staff direct, all their details can be found on our Contact Us page.
