Top tips for watering during hot weather

Looking after plants in hot weather can be a concern, however here are some tips to help you use water efficiently in your garden.

• Water plants in beds and borders thoroughly, to encourage the roots to grow downwards and find the water table. This is particularly important to establish new plants.
• Prioritise you’re watering for less well-established plants and plant varieties which need more water.  
• Check your baskets and pots regularly. Water over a tray or bucket to collect any run of water, sometimes it’s easy to take them of the hanger first. Also make sure the water soaks down to the roots. Swell gels can help with water retention.
• If your basket or pot is dry, get a bucket of water and dunk it, so you saturate the soil with water. This is like first aid for plants!
• Water your plants in the early morning or evening which will allow the plants and surrounding soil to absorb as much as possible before the heat of the day hits.

  Watering when you are away

• Group all your pots together in a shady spot where they won’t dry out as much.
• Place a deep saucer under each pot and water well so you leave some water in the saucer.
• Use a micro irrigation kit, plant watering globes or spikes.

Drought tolerant plants

Plants which have evolved to thrive in hot climates, such as the Mediterranean, are great to plant in a sunny, south facing border, with free-draining soil.  In dry weather they can save you lots of watering.  Our top 5 plant suggestions are:

• Cordyline
• Crocosmia
• Echinacea
• Lavender
• Olives
• Sedums

Save and store rainwater in your garden

• Collect rainwater in a barrel and your plants will reward you for it.  It’s their favourite summer tipple!

 Mulch your borders and add organic matter

• Mulching your borders earlier in the year will help to conserve the water in the soil and stop it drying out in the summer.
• Adding organic matter also improves the soil’s ability to retain water.