It's official: we are having a scorcher of a summer. With temperatures soaring and little rainfall, maintaining garden plants is becoming a challenge. So, we asked watering and pond solution specialist Hozelock for 10 handy tips to keep your garden alive – and use water efficiently.
1. Water early or late
On hot, sunny days, water early in the morning or late in the evening, avoiding lunchtime, when the water will evaporate much quicker.
2. Watch where you water
Watering correctly is also important: always water at the base of the plant, not from the top.
3. Water consistently
Skipping watering in dry weather can compromise your plants' health.
4. Focus on thirsty plants
Prioritise your watering, focusing on new plants and thirsty fruit and veggies, rather than old, established plants that have a much better chance of surviving a dry spell.
5. Stop mowing
Lawn looking sad and yellow? The answer is to stop mowing it – longer grass is more drought-resistant.
6. Move container plants
Unlike the lawn, pots have the benefit of being portable, so move them into a shady spot.
7. Plant drought-lovers
As for sunny borders, why not fill them with plants that can't get enough of the sun, and don't mind being a bit dry? Think lavender and sedum.
8. Mulch, mulch, mulch
Remember to mulch the ground around your plants to help retain moisture.
9. Be eco-conscious
Invest in a water butt – it will collect rainwater and provide an emergency solution in case of a hose ban. Just resist the temptation to use it unnecessarily.
10. Go high tech
Too busy to do all of this, or going away during the summer? An automatic watering system may well be the solution for you. Carol Wright, UK Marketing Manager at Hozelock, explains, ‘Watering efficiently needn’t be hard work. Hozelock’s range of products not only helps gardeners water wisely during a heatwave, it also makes watering easier. For example, Sensor Controllers, which automatically water at dawn and dusk, reduce evaporation, while Easy Drip Kits, can be adjusted to limit the rate at which they drip water into the soil exactly where it is most needed.'
