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

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.

to established plants

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.

right now will actually delay rain from entering the soil when it finally arrives. Hold off and mulch once the autumn rains return.

An exception is newly planted trees and shrubs, provided they have been well watered first. Keep the soil around new plants bare and free of grass or weeds, and ideally mulch for one metre around the stem. Water regularly to keep the original rootball

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

damp and next year, these plants will have rooted out, requiring far less care.

4. Avoid excess lawn wear

Try to spread foot traffic and activities over your entire brown lawn to avoid destroying the ground-level grass buds that are waiting to grow once the rain returns.

Feeding lawns during a heatwave or drought won’t help, however an autumn feed is well worth contemplating once the weather breaks. September or October is also the ideal time for spiking or slitting to help rain soak into hard, compacted turf. Pierce the lawn with a garden fork or lawn tool when the soil is softened but not soggy. This improves root conditions and helps the grass recover from drought and for best results, brush some lawn top-dressing into the holes.

5. Leave no-mow areas until autumn

If you have areas of long, hay-like grass, resist the urge to tidy them up just yet. The shade provided by the long vegetation is highly beneficial to wildlife. Furthermore, these areas support drought-resistant wild plants like yarrow and produce valuable seeds for birds – keep them until autumn.

Lawn mowing guide

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

Deadheading is the process of removing spent flowers from plants to encourage more blooms and prevent seed production. This helps to redirect the plant's energy into producing more flowers rather than producing seeds.

and summer pruning. Removing spent flowers and lightly reducing excess growth can slightly reduce the amount of water plants need. Avoid heavy structural pruning during extreme heat, as this can severely stress the plant.

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, nutrients

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.

are less likely to be taken up by the roots. They are likely to be wasted, washing away over winter and potentially causing environmental pollution.

Exceptions include container plants will still need to be fed every other week until September. Additionally, hungry green vegetable crops like Brussels sprouts and leeks will appreciate a little top-dressing alongside their regular watering.

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 incredibly tough and will tolerate dry spells well.

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 compost

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.

heap.

13. Don’t let weeds take over

Sneaky weeds have a marvellous ability to find soil moisture. They will quickly move into your beds, competing with your plants for water and getting ready to set seed. While some weed flowers benefit wildlife, a danger is present once they begin to scatter unwanted seeds. If they haven't formed physical seeds yet, you can lay the pulled weeds out in a quiet corner for birds to forage through for insects but be careful, as some pulled weeds can still ripen and drop seeds after being uprooted.