While summer may mean different things for different gardeners – summer, for all of us, brings common challenges. In our latest blog we list some tips for gardening in hot weather, for both the novice and experienced gardener.
Get to know your garden
What’s your soil like? Which way do your flower beds and vegetable patch face? Plant according to your findings. For instance, east-facing gardens tend to retain more moisture and are good for plants such as primulas, whereas succulents and silver-leafed plants such as lavender will thrive in west-facing gardens or any hot, arid border.
Improve your soil quality
The summer heat can take a toll on the soil quality of your garden. A great way to enrich the soil is by adding organic matter. When you plant, add compost or soil improver to enhance your soil’s moisture and water-retaining ability. It will also help with the transfer of nutrients to your plants. Compost also fosters a healthy environment for microbes and other beneficial organisms like worms. The soil quality remains healthy and protects root systems from pests and diseases.
Use water wisely
‘When is the best time to water plants in summer’ is a question most frequently asked in the world of gardening.
Pots and hanging baskets generally need to be watered more frequently than ground plants. You should line concrete and terracotta pots or paint them on the inside to prevent water loss. Keep your pot plants in cooler spots and place saucers underneath to retain water.
Watering plants at the right time is essential to their growth and water retention. The optimal time to water plants is early in the morning, while it’s still cool. This allows the water to reach the roots of the plants as it runs down into the soil without too much water lost to evaporation. This, in turn, makes the water available to the plants throughout the day so they are better equipped to deal with the heat of the sun.
There is a gardening myth that watering in the morning will make the plants susceptible to scorch. This is not true. Most areas do not get intense enough sun for water droplets to scorch the plants. However, if the area you live in has intense sun exposure, the water droplets would evaporate in the heat long before they could focus the sunlight.
Invest in a shade
Installing shade in your garden is a great way to help plants get through the summer heat. Even though sun helps vegetables grow, too much of it can be harmful.
Shade helps them wither through the heat and harmful exposure from the sun. To provide shade to your plants and to effectively block excess and direct sunlight, you can consider a shade cloth. Shade cloth is usually made of loosely woven polyester and is available in varying densities or degrees of shade ranging between 5% to 95%.
Need help keeping your summer garden under control?
If your garden isn’t up to scratch but you simply don’t have the time or energy to spend making it beautiful, then our team can help. From regular garden maintenance, to complete garden renovations and everything in between- our comprehensive list of services are guaranteed to transform your garden in time for the summer heat. Please do get in touch with us to discuss how we can help you.