Summer has well and truly landed, with even the cautious Met Office forecasting high temperatures for the next few weeks. This is great news for sunworshippers, but it is not always good news for the garden. Here are some tips for keeping your garden in top condition as the year hots up.
Save your ‘grey’ water
When there is a possibility of drought and hosepipe bans, try and save as much ‘grey’ water as possible for the garden. This is bathwater, dishwater, shower water, and so on. Store it outdoors to let any chemicals become less potent, and use it in a few days so that it doesn’t go stagnant. You will also notice a difference in your bills, if you have a water meter.
Herbaceous plants, which have non-woody stems, are surprisingly drought-resistant, because they are conditioned to die back and recover. Even if they wilt above the surface, they will survive unless the soil seriously dries out, after several weeks with little or no rainfall.
Woody plants, with hard stems, such as vines, ivy, hydrangea and wisteria, require more moisture to survive, so make these your priority when watering the garden. The evening is the best time to water, as the cooler temperatures will reduce evaporation.
Don’t mow the lawn
Keeping your lawn irrigated and mown through a heatwave is a lot of hard work, and it also uses up a lot of resources. Leave it for as long as possible between mows, as it won’t grow much unless you constantly water. However, the water will evaporate readily, so it can be a very wasteful process.
Unless the drought is prolonged, the lawn will usually recover well, even if it has turned yellow or brown. However, avoid walking on it unless you really have to, to avoid extra damage which may result in bald patches.
Protect your pots
Pots and containers should be moved out of the full sun if possible, or protected with an umbrella or even a sheet of cardboard, to keep the worst of the heat off them. Water them regularly in the evening or early morning, but make sure that the roots don’t become oversaturated.
Turn over the compost as you water to reduce evaporation, and help the water percolate to the roots. Capture any run off water in saucers, and place buckets under hanging baskets as you water, to reduce waste.
Add mulch to beds and borders
Adding organic garden mulch to the topsoil can help to hold moisture. Add at least 5cm to containers, beds, and borders and turn it over regularly throughout the summer. However, avoid excessive digging if there is a prolonged hot dry spell, as this can damage the soil structure, making it more difficult to hold water.
Add companions to vegetable patches
If you are cultivating vegetables, avoid too much bare space in between the plants. Instead add companion plants which are designed to improve soil fertility, which are also known as ‘green manures.’
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