Beat The Heat

Humid, Hot, Cold, Hail, Rain, Humid, Hot, Cold, Hail, Rain...

Lately it has felt like this pattern of weather has become the norm. At times the heat has been unbearable and then the humidity kicks in and you almost want the heat back.

To say it has been unpleasant is to say the least.

It can be hard in this heat to get out and prepare your gardens for the onslaught of hot weather, but with a bit of planning and TLC your gardens can survive the extreme weather.

I have put together a short list of the most important things to remember.

1. Move pot plants into the shade so they are out of the heat during the hottest part of the day.

2. If you have plants in your garden that are in direct sunlight all day and they are fragile, erect a shade over them to give them some respite.

3. Make sure you give your plants a good drink before the hot weather hits. It is important that your plants have plenty of drainage and water so they don't dry out during the day.

4. Make sure your mulch is up to date. This gives your plant roots protection and allows water to trickle through in a drip effect throughout the day.

5. DO NOT cut off any leaves that have died and look as though they are draining the plant of any life it may have left. These leaves serve a vital role in that they shade the lower parts of the plant and protect the roots and stems from being exposed to the extreme heat.

6. Instead of fertilising during the heat, use liquid seaweed on a fortnightly basis.

Hopefully with these few tips in mind your garden will still be abundant at the end of the Summer.