bonus episode | show notes & advice | Hot Weather Special
episode description
Have you ever wondered how to keep your garden thriving in hot weather? In this episode, Sarah discusses her five top tips for how Perch Hill tackles every gardener’s nightmare, the hosepipe ban! This episode also covers the key things to consider when it comes to making sure your garden is well looked after and productive even in the hot summer months.
In this episode, discover…
- Sarah’s top drought-tolerant plant varieties
- How to make water go further
Tip 1 - Water collection (0:47)
Although water collection is a tried and tested method when it comes to keeping your garden hydrated, in times of seriously hot weather, water butts, containers, and storage tanks can dry out. But nowadays you can get pumps and siphons which will allow you to channel bath water to a water butt below.
Tip 2 – Use a wheelbarrow or tub truck for your pots (2:15)
Although some pots are much too big to move, if they are portable, fill your barrow with water from your watering can, and place the pots in the wheelbarrow. Leave them there for about 10 minutes, so they absorb the water from the base, and then go back and change them over. This method takes a fraction of the time and is incredibly really effective.
Small pots dry out quicker than larger pots, also, lining your pots with Hortiwool, is a really good way to keep the moisture inside. This is a new sustainable ‘matting’ that will decrease water evaporation, absorb water and release it slowly.
Farmyard manure is also another good addition to compost, which will release nutrients to the roots of your plants.
Trainers down the side of pots are another good idea, as this will help to protect the pots from evaporation.
Tip 3 – Mulch, mulch, mulch! (5:00)
Adding organic matter to your borders and around your shrubs will decrease water evaporation and improve the soil texture.
Tip 4 – Choose the right plants (5:18)
When preparing for extreme heat and dryer summers, choosing plants that are South African native is Valways a really good idea.
These include: Arctotis, Venidium, Argyranthemum, Calendulas, Tagetes, Zinnia, Pelargonium, and Salvia - which are pretty good for drought tolerance.
Plants that struggle in the heat at Perch Hill include Phlox paniculata, Hydrangeas, and Persicaria, as they need moisture at the roots.