What not to do in the garden during a heatwave and drought

1. Don’t panic 

We've passed the period of peak plant water demand. As nights become longer and dewier, the sun sits lower in the sky and plants gradually need less water. By mid-September, much of the summer heat has gone and water demand is generally much lower.

2. Don’t splash water on plants

Apply enough water to thoroughly wet the root zone, aiming directly at the base of the plant. If necessary, create a shallow earthen ‘pond’ or basin around the stem to trap the moisture. Always water in the evening or early morning; watering onto foliage or during the heat of the day leads to high evaporation losses.

Aim water at the base of the plant so it reaches the roots, where it is needed most

3. Hold off mulching existing plants

Adding

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings.

Established plants have been in their current location for two or three years and so have well-developed root systems able to support strong growth with healthy foliage and flowers.

established plants

The roots and accompanying soil when a plant is removed from a container or lifted from the ground.

rootball

4. Avoid excess lawn wear

Try to spread foot traffic and activities over your entire brown lawn to avoid destroying the ground-level grass

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers.

5. Leave no-mow areas until autumn

Long grass supports pollinators, birds and other wildlife, so leave no-mow areas until autumn before cutting them back

6. Go easy on sowing autumn salads

Chicories, endives, and salad onions are incredibly useful from mid-September onwards, but they can be tricky to establish in baked soil. Grow them in pots in light shade instead; harvesting them as mini leaves is far more water efficient. Lettuces are particularly difficult to get started during a drought.

7. Beware planting at peak drought

Pause your planting plans for as long as possible until drought stress has eased. Some winter crops, such as purple sprouting broccoli, must be planted now to ensure a good harvest next year. However, other ornamental purchases such as plants bought at late-summer flower shows can be kept moist and lightly shaded in their pots until planting conditions improve.

8. Don’t delay summer pruning and deadheading

Keep up with routine

Deadheading is the removal of flowers from plants when they have faded or died. It is done to keep plants looking attractive and encourage re-flowering.

Continue deadheading and light summer pruning during dry weather, but avoid heavy pruning that could further stress plants

9. Don’t overfeed plants

Most garden plants will not benefit from extra fertiliser during a drought. Without sufficient soil moisture,

To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key nutrients usually taken up from the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plants also need carbon, oxygen and hydrogen to make carbohydrates — their main energy source. Carbon and oxygen come from the air as carbon dioxide, while hydrogen is drawn from water absorbed by the roots. Other important soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium and sulphur. Most garden soils contain enough of these nutrients to support healthy plant growth.

10. Don’t overwater

Water enough to keep plants alive, but show restraint. You should use water responsibly to avoid consuming more than your fair share during times of potential shortage. Prioritise your limited water supplies for vegetables, soft fruit and newly planted plants. Established trees, shrubs and many

Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.

11. Make the most of your water butts

Now is exactly the time to use up your stored rainwater. As your water butts fall empty, take the opportunity to clean them out so they are ready to capture clean autumn rain.

If you need more storage, now is an excellent time to source additional butts and connect them to your downpipes before the wet weather arrives. To see exactly how much water your roof footprint can collect, you can use an online rainwater catchment calculator like the Enduramaxx Rainwater Calculator.

Collecting rainwater in water butts provides a sustainable source of water for your garden during dry spells

12. Let go of lost causes

Do not waste precious water on spare plants or plants that are unlikely to come to anything this summer. They consume water and effort and unless there is a good reason to keep them, they are much better off in the

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

13. Don’t let weeds take over