With increasingly longer periods of hot weather, it is important that as gardeners we prepare for periods of drought. From future proofing your garden through adding drought-tolerant plants to conserving water, there are several simple steps you can take to keep your garden greener and flourishing.
Prepare Your Garden Before the Heat Arrives
As summer temperatures rise, now is an important time to look after our gardens. Here are our essential steps to being garden ready for a heatwave.
Make sure you are watering plants deeply but less often. Watering deeply encourages roots to grow down into the soil, instead of staying near the surface, meaning the roots become more resilient when dry spells hit. Water plants early in the morning, to allow water to reach the roots before peak temperatures in the afternoon can cause it to evaporate.
If you have hanging baskets or small pots, these are likely to dry out quickly. Replacing smaller pots with bigger containers helps plants hold moisture for longer, as they are in more compost. Consider postponing new planting plans until autumn or next spring, as plants won’t establish well in hot temperatures.
Applying mulch to your soil is also an effective way to retain moisture and reduce water loss in plants. Mulch is a protective layer of material that is placed over soil. It has multiple benefits for your gardens, including locking in soil moisture, regulating root temperature, suppressing weeds as well as preventing slugs. You can make your own organic mulch at home using garden compost, well-rotted manure, leaf mould and wood chippings.
Preserving Water
Whatever the weather, it is a good idea to get into the habit of saving water in your garden. You’ll be able to save plants in case of droughts and cope in the event of a hosepipe ban, while also saving money on your water bill.
Installing water butts is an effective way of collecting rainwater in your garden. They can be fixed to rainwater downpipes on your house, shed, greenhouse, conservatory and garage. Collected rainwater can be used to water plants, top up ponds and even wash your car. Over winter, linking water butts together can help to collect even more rainwater.
During a hosepipe ban, you can still use a drip or trickle irrigation system, provided it’s fitted with a pressure-reducing valve and a timer. These systems deliver water slowly and directly to the roots, making them an efficient and water-wise choice. They’re ideal for keeping pots and containers watered while you’re away and take the hassle out of carrying heavy watering cans. Better still, a drip irrigation system can use up to 90% less water than watering with a hosepipe, helping you save water while keeping your plants healthy.
Grey water is water that you’ve already used, for example, from washing up, taking a bath or rinsing fruit and vegetables. It can be reused on plants and ornamental grasses, but not on edible crops. There are many ways of collecting grey water, from putting a bucket under the shower while waiting for the water to heat up or placing a bowl in the sink as you are doing the washing up. Pour the grey water into a watering can and use promptly rather than storing it, if it contains bleach or harsh chemicals, avoid using it on plants.
Adding Drought-Tolerant Plants to your Garden
With climate change and extreme weather events such as droughts impacting the UK, adding drought-tolerant plants allows you to still have an attractive and colourful garden no matter the weather.
Many drought-tolerant plants are native to dry regions such as the Mediterranean and have evolved to cope in dry soils and little rainfall once established. These plants often have special adaptations to help them survive with low water levels, such as fleshy leaves to store water and silver leaves to reflect light and protect from dehydration.
It’s important to remember that these plants are only drought-tolerant once established. The larger the plant at the time of planting, the longer it’ll take to establish. Perennials require watering during their first summer, whereas trees may need to be watered for 2-3 years before becoming established.
During periods of long drought, plants may go into survival mode and may stop flowering or their leaves may drop. To keep them looking good, we recommend deeply watering them early in the morning once or twice a week, instead of watering a little every day. Mulching the soil heavily in spring can make a huge difference to plants retaining moisture during droughts.
It’s worth noting that flowers produce less nectar in times of drought, so keeping your plants watered will help ensure that bees and other pollinators don’t suffer.
Our Favourite Drought-Tolerant Plants
All Tates of Sussex Garden Centres have a wide range of drought-tolerant plants available, here are some of our favourites:
Lavandula (Lavender)
Lavender is an easy-to-grow, drought-tolerant evergreen shrub prized for its fragrant flowers and foliage, making it a favourite for sunny borders and pollinator-friendly gardens.
Rosmarinus (Rosemary)
Rosemary is a versatile evergreen shrub that looks great all year round, produces delicate blue flowers in spring and is perfect for adding fresh flavour to your cooking.
Pinus (Pine)
Pine trees provide year-round colour and structure, making them a fantastic choice for adding height, texture and evergreen interest to your garden.
Jasminum officinale (Common Jasmine)
Common jasmine is a beautiful climbing plant with masses of sweetly scented white flowers throughout summer, ideal for covering fences, walls and pergolas.
Geranium (Hardy Geranium)
Hardy geraniums are easy to grow and reward you with long-lasting blooms, making them perfect for filling borders with reliable colour from late spring into autumn.
Helianthus (Sunflower)
Nothing says summer quite like a sunflower! These cheerful blooms are easy to grow, loved by pollinators and make a real statement in borders and pots.
Stipa (Feather Grass)
With its soft, flowing foliage and delicate flower heads, feather grass adds movement and texture to the garden while coping well with dry, sunny conditions.
Helping Your Garden Thrive in Droughts
Preparing your garden for drought doesn’t mean compromising on colour or beauty. By watering wisely, conserving rainwater, improving your soil with mulch and choosing plants that are drought-tolerant, you can create a garden that is more resilient, sustainable and enjoyable throughout the summer months.
Remember that every garden is different, and even small changes can make a big difference over time. Whether you’re installing a water butt, replacing thirsty plants with drought-tolerant varieties or simply changing the way you water, each step helps your garden cope better during periods of hot, dry weather.
If you’re looking for inspiration or advice, visit us at your local Tates of Sussex Garden Centre, where our friendly team can help you choose the right plants and watering solutions to keep your garden thriving, whatever the weather.
Pop in store to find any of the products mentioned in this blog, or browse online.
Also, check out our YouTube short featuring our top heatwave watering tips!
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