Gardening expert Monty Don has detailed a simple daily habit to cool down greenhouses while keeping unwanted insect pests at bay, though not everyone was won over by the idea.
In a video posted to the official Gardeners' World Instagram account, Monty is seen dousing the greenhouse floor with water using a handheld hose. He explained: "With these instances of very hot weather that we're increasingly having, it's a good idea to cool down your greenhouse and the best way to do that is to wet the floor once or twice a day. It'll both cool it and increase humidity, which is a good way of combating red spider mite."
Hosepipe bans hinder advice
In the comments section, fellow Instagram users shared their views, with many unable to put the tip into practice due to widespread hosepipe bans. One person said: "I can only dream of spraying water. Hosepipe ban here and my cucumbers have died, tomatoes on their last legs, dahlias outside barely growing. It's pretty tragic." Another quipped: "Love this. Monty, can you have a word with Severn Trent for me? They reckon there's no water." A third said: "Maybe not in a hosepipe ban. Get the water deep into the soil, keep the surface dry and the plants will reduce their water use."
About Monty Don
Monty Don is widely celebrated for his gardening expertise, best known as the lead presenter of the BBC series Gardeners' World. A prolific author, he has penned more than 25 books since his debut in 1990. He first appeared on television in 1989 on This Morning and has written and produced his own series, including 2026's Monty Don's Rhineland Gardens.
