My guide to watering is designed to help you during dry spells, as gardens can dry out very quickly. This includes pots, containers, hanging baskets, lawns, plants and the border too.
Then, when we get a shower we think that the garden is watered, but the shower probably only penetrates the first few millimetres of the surface of the soil. This is why water is so important for your garden to flourish.
Here are my top tips for ensuring your whole garden is thoroughly watered.
1. Get the right attachment
Having a good hose attachment is much more effective than putting your thumb over the end of the hose. I like a good shower spray attachment to soak the soil, rather than just blasting the soil out of the way.
2. Shade is best
When the sun is blaring down on plants on all day, the plants can struggle. When you start, it’s best to move pots and containers away from direct sunlight and into the shade. This includes house plants that are kept on window sills too!
3. Irrigation
It’s not always easy to be there to water your garden, so why not get yourself a self-watering device. A porous hose has small holes along the length of it and seeps water into the soil throughout the day. A micro-irrigation system can also be used.
4. Don’t cut the lawn!
In hot weather, it’s important that you don’t cut your lawn too short. The longer the blades, the more the lawn will be able to retain moisture.
5. Give fruiting flowers some love
Any plant that is in flower, or producing fruit needs more water than others, especially in warmer weather. Get them a good, regular supply of water, and make sure the plant isn’t dry when you feed it.
6. Get the broom out
Spraying water over the surface sometimes isn’t enough, especially in prolonged dry spells. In cases like this, I get the broom out and use the handle to poke holes in the soil. When you’re adding water to the soil, these holes fill up with water and seep deeper towards the roots.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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