We never know what we are going to get with a British summer – it is certainly always full of surprises, and as gardeners, it is important to be prepared for every eventuality. With record breaking high temperatures sweeping across the UK this summer, for most gardeners, protecting their beloved plants during this incredibly warm weather is one of the most important things to think about as the thermometers rocket ever higher.
When you spend a lot of time preparing your garden, growing plants from seed, sourcing your favourite plants from places like this plants for trade store https://www.palmstead.co.uk and keeping your greenhouse well looked after, the last thing you want is to lose it all as the heat increases. Here are some of the things that you can do to protect your plants from the sweltering summer weather…
Move your pots – Pots do dry out much more quickly, but they also have the advantage of being portable. Move all of your pots out of the sun into areas that will get the most shade. This way it also makes it easier to water – which you should do more regularly when temperatures are higher but avoid doing it in the heat of the day. Wait until it cools off a little in the evening, as well as early in the morning to make sure that they are well hydrated.
Leave the Cut Grass – When you have been mowing your lawn, leave the cuttings on the lawn itself. This serves as a protective cover to your lawn which can give it some shade from the hot sun. The clippings also add some extra hydration to the lawn, so if you want to avoid that scorched brown grass this will certainly help you to do that. You can also use some of the cut grass around flower beds as this will protect them in the same way.
Protect Nature – Animals also struggle in the heat, so grow a wild area in the garden – wildflowers and long grasses provide shade for many animals and are also loved by bees and butterflies. Leaving bowls of water in this area will also help out birds and hedgehogs who will be needing to stay hydrated on the hot days.