Embrace Water Butts
Rain might be in short supply but capturing what little there is can make a big difference, water butts collect rainwater from roofs and gutters, storing it for when your plants need it most. They’re legal to use during hosepipe bans and provide chlorine-free water that’s ideal for plants. You could link multiple water butts together to increase your capacity, especially if you have a large roof area.
Make the Most of Grey Water
Grey water is used household water, you could use the water from your bath, washing-up bowl for example, but make sure the water is free from any harmful chemicals. It’s best to use grey water promptly and avoid storing it for more than 24 hours to prevent unpleasant smells or bacterial growth.
Use Saucers Under Pots
A simple but effective trick is to place saucers under your pots to catch any excess water. This not only prevents waste but also keeps roots moist for longer. It’s especially useful for thirsty container plants that dry out quickly.
Don’t Rush to Water Everything
It’s tempting to soak the whole garden once cooler weather arrives, but plants in shock can’t absorb water properly, start by lightly watering early in the morning or late in the evening, and build up slowly. Prioritise, newly planted shrubs or trees, fruit and vegetable crops and containers and hanging baskets. Let the soil gradually rehydrate to avoid waterlogging stressed roots. For more tips on watering – click here.
Assess the Damage
Some plants might look dead but are actually only dormant, gently scratch a stem with your fingernail, if it’s green underneath, it’s still alive. Leave any “dead” herbaceous perennials alone until spring; they may regrow from the base. Wilted leaves in shrubs may recover, but crispy brown ones are usually lost. Brown, dry grass is often just dormant and will green up again with rain, and wilting or leaf drop on tress usually recover, especially for establishes trees.
Trim with Care
Hold off on hard pruning! Removing too much foliage too soon can stress plants even more. Instead, cut back clearly dead material, but leave anything that still has green growth and give your plants time to show signs of recovery.
Mulch to Lock in Moisture
Once your soil has had a chance to absorb some water, add mulch around plants to retain moisture. You can use well-rotted compost, bark chippings or leaf mould, but remember to keep mulch a few centimetres away from stems to prevent rot.
Plan for the Future
With the summers becoming more unpredictable, it’s smart to establish some drought resilience into your garden, you can do this by planting more drought-tolerant species like lavender, sedum, salvia or euphorbia, utilise water butts to collect rainwater and add shaded areas with trellises or climbers to protect any delicate plants underneath.
Want to know which plants can handle the heat? Click here.
It’s disheartening to see your garden suffer, but with a bit of time and care, most plants will rebound. Let the rain come and let recovery begin!