What to do in your garden in hot weather - FOUR tips for plants on dry days
BRITS have hailed the latest run of hot weather as a godsend, following a colder and bluster start to spring this May, but some plants may suffer in the heat. What do you need to do for our garden during hot weather?
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Wall-to-wall sunshine has pumped up UK temperatures, giving Brits some respite from weeks of early spring cold, wind and rain. Mid to high 20C temperatures have seen people file outside in their thousands to soak up the Sun ahead of "Freedom Day" in a few weeks on June 21. But while humans bask in the rays, some gardeners will need to pay extra attention to their plants and flowers.
What to do in your garden during hot weather
Flowers and plants will dry out amid hot weather, with less moisture available.
While it may seem simple enough to load them with extra water, this can sometimes cause similar damage.
Gardeners can follow a few tips to strike the delicate balance plants need during the blazing heat.
Don't use a hose
Many gardeners hail hoses as lifesavers for their green spaces, as they allow quick and easy coverage.
But they aren't efficient and waste hundreds of litres of water every day.
Some local areas may end up imposing hosepipe bans as well, and breaking them can incur hefty fines of up to £1,000.
Instead, gardeners should stick to using watering cans where possible.
Get hardy plants
Some plants are naturally hardier in the summer months and can effectively resist droughts.
Herbs, including lavender love, rosemary and marjoram, are well equipped for the job.
And their taste will even grow more intense with concentrated heat.
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Use mulch
Organic mulch consists of living material such as leaves, straw, compost and grass clippings.
Lighter coloured mulch will help preserve some soil moisture by reflecting the Sun off the base of a plant.
Fresh mulch, which still contains moisture, can aid plant growth by providing nitrogen, which also suppresses vegetable flowering.
Let the grass grow
Dedicated gardeners with a well-pruned lawn may want to let it grow during the summer.
Lawns that grow to three inches or taller ultimately cast shadows, protecting neighbouring plants from sunlight.
People can also use their heat-resistant plants tactically and plant them around more fragile crops to keep them cool.