As warm weather continues, maintaining gardens becomes increasingly vital, but heat introduces challenges for plants and flowers. Keeping plants happy requires infrequent soaking during early morning or late evening, prioritising pots and thirsty crops like runner beans and hydrangeas. Gardening expert Ryan Dowsell has shared four tips to help your plot thrive during summer.
1. Container plants
"One of the worst mistakes people make in a heatwave is leaving container plants in the heat all day," Ryan explained in a TikTok video. This can trigger "heat stress," which may prevent plants from flowering. "Flowers like Osteospermums (African Daisies) and Lobelias are particularly vulnerable to this," Ryan continued. "Instead, give your containers some shade in the heat of the afternoon."
2. Pruning
The second error involves pruning plants during heatwaves. "Any new growth or parts of the plant that were previously shaded can become scorched by the hot sunshine," he warned, noting it's a horticultural mistake that trips up many gardeners.
3. Watering
"Any newly-planted perennial plant, tree or shrub planted in the last few months probably hasn't established deep roots yet," Ryan continued. "So they will definitely need water during the heatwave." Those cultivating hydrangeas should take particular note.
4. Post-Heatwave
Ryan's final advice relates to the aftermath: "After a heatwave has finished, or if you have just come back from a summer holiday, you might not realise that the compost in your containers has dried out so much that it's turned hydrophobic." This means the plant cannot soak up water normally. "The best way to resolve this is to fully submerge the container under water until all of the air bubbles are forced out of the compost."
In response to a TikTok user asking about deadheading roses, Ryan confirmed: "Yes definitely go for it! Most roses rebloom if you deadhead them except for rambling roses." Another user asked about watering hydrangeas during a heatwave. Ryan replied: "I only water my hydrangeas once a day during a heatwave and they're coping well. I sometimes water in the morning and sometimes in the evening, it doesn't really matter in my experience. A newly planted hydrangea will need more water though."
