While the hot weather is great for those who want to sit outside and enjoy it – it’s not as great for outdoor plants, and gardeners should change this one gardening habit during the heatwave
As Britain basks in the heatwave that is forecast with temperatures skyrocketing to around 35C in some areas – and people are urged to make one certain change to their gardening habits this week.
Global Forecast System runs from WXCHARTS shows huge areas of Britain set to be engulfed in the 35C heat, which could even be predicted to skyrocket higher, before the end of June too.
With this in mind, it’s important to make sure your plants are being looked after during the hot weather as too much heat can have a detrimental impact on our gardens – which can result in wilting, stunted growth and scorched leaves.
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The main thing to focus on changing during a heatwave when it comes to gardening is when you water and how often. Harriet Worsley, from Worsley Design & Consultancy urged keen gardeners to “never water in the daytime when it’s hot”.
She added: “And avoid spraying any water on the leaves in the sunshine as the water will boil in the sun and the leaves will frazzle – like watering your garden with a kettle,” as reported by Country Living.
Instead, the expert recommends watering late at night and “water intensely”. The expert advised: “Fill pots to the brim and then fill again. It’s the roots that need the water, not the leaves. Be particularly careful with pots and window boxes drying out, they dry out faster than beds.”
This is echoed by James Ewens, a gardening expert at Green Feathers, who explained that deep and infrequent watering is being more beneficial than little and often during hot weather spells. He shared: “When watering, you want to aim for the roots, so as low to the ground as possible, and water deeply and infrequently – either early morning or late evening.
“Avoiding midday sun will ensure water does not evaporate quickly, and infrequent watering will enable water to soak deeply into the plant. You don’t need to water every morning or evening, it’s good to prioritise longer watering sessions, and watering every couple of days.”
To be even more mindful, you could collect rainwater and recycle it over your plants, especially if there is a hosepipe ban in your area. Rainwater is better for your plans than using tap water as it hasn’t been treated or contains any chemicals such as chlorine. You can do this by collecting the rainfall in water butts and water barrels, which you can then use over the summer when it’s drier.
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