Latest news with #gardeners
Telegraph
14 hours ago
- Climate
- Telegraph
Which plants need to be watered while you're away, and which can fend for themselves
It may have rained in recent days, but much of the country is experiencing a drought and millions of us are in the middle of a hosepipe ban that may go on for months. Rest assured, there's no need to water everything. Ignore the lawn, it will recover once the rain returns, and don't worry about established aromatic and silvery plants either. They have their own built-in sunscreen. Leaf shape matters too. If the foliage is long and linear, like an iris, kniphofia or hemerocallis, or if it's highly divided, like rosemary or dianthus, these plants will survive because transpiration is minimal. The following plants do need our help though. Most can get by on a thorough twice-a-week soaking in the morning, or in the evening. If you're going away, neighbours are often willing to help. Do encourage them to pick the beans, courgettes and tomatoes, so that they keep on cropping. Recycle as much water as possible, rather than putting it down the plug hole, because it can be tipped on to the garden. Soak the area around the plants. Dribbling water on is worse than no water, because it encourages the roots to surface. Thorough spot watering is the way to go. The eight essentials Greenhouse Tomatoes Every day The greenhouse is the hottest place in the garden, but applying water-soluble white shading helps to keep it much cooler. It's quick and easy to apply with a brush. Greenhouse tomatoes will need watering daily, preferably in the morning if possible. Keep the water well away from the fruit and foliage, to prevent fungal disease, and ventilate the greenhouse because tomatoes dislike extreme heat. If you're going away, feed just before you go using a soluble tomato food. This will help to prevent blossom end rot, a stress disease that blackens the underside of the fruit. Irregular watering is often a cause. Greenhouse cucumbers need less water than tomatoes, I find. Overwatering can cause them to wilt. Every other day is the way to go with these – but it does depend on temperature. Outdoor tomatoes also benefit from plenty of water. Move them into an area that gets afternoon sun, if you're going away. Runner beans Every couple of days These come into their own as the days begin to shorten, due to their South American equatorial provenance. Watering them now will help them to crop for the next couple of months, so these are top priority too. Tripods suffer less from drought and wind damage than straight lines of beans. Choosing the correct varieties also helps. Hybrid runner x French beans, such as 'Moonlight' and 'Firestorm', are able to crop heavily in drier, hotter conditions. They won't shed their flowers on hot nights, when temperatures go above 16C, but this is a real problem with traditional runner beans. Gently watering them every couple of days is the way to go. The following vegetables can be left to their own devices. Carrots and beetroot have fleshy moisture-seeking roots and brassicas have leathery foliage, so they'll be fine. Onions and shallots should be ripening now, rather than growing. Newly planted roses Twice a week or more These are very vulnerable in their first growing season, because most have been potted up in the spring, so their fibrous root system hasn't fully developed. Gently tipping a whole can of water round the base, a couple of times a week, is vital. If you're away, make sure your helpers know where your new rose is. Once roses are established, they are very tolerant of dry conditions and heat. Check newly planted clematis as well. The smaller-flowered viticellas are the most drought-tolerant ones, once established. Hydrangeas Twice a week Hydrangeas have suffered this year due to the unusually dry spring and many are still struggling. They include the shade-loving, fairly drought tolerant forms of Hydrangea paniculata such as 'Limelight' and 'Kyushu'. Keep all your hydrangeas hydrated with a twice weekly bucket, or can of water, otherwise you may lose them. Trees and woody shrubs planted in the last two years As required Keep an eye on these, because these are expensive items to replace. This year the ground has been so dry that the roots will not have penetrated into the surrounding soil, so watering may well be needed. When a tree, or shrub, is in distress the foliage tries to avoid transpiration in two ways. Sometimes the plant slants the leaves straight down and witch hazels, or hamamelis, often do this. Watch their foliage carefully. If the leaves turn to the vertical, this winter-flowering gem is water-stressed and you may lose it. Other woody plants close their leaves up. Both are distress signals, indicating that this tree or shrub needs water now. If the worst happens, and the foliage browns and drops, don't be too hasty to remove it. Woody plants can (and do) re-shoot next spring, but it's best not to put that one to the test. Geums and astrantias Twice a week These both flower in May, and both hate dry conditions so it's imperative to water them throughout dry summers. Otherwise, both will fade away and die. Red and dark-pink astrantias are generally more demanding on the moisture front. However, this year they've all suffered – even the normally drought-tolerant pale-pink 'Buckland' has shrivelled here. Flagging phloxes need our help too. If they've turned brown, cut the stems back and water to encourage regrowth. Shade-loving South American late-summer tender plants Every other day Fuchsias, impatiens and begonias stay vivid and colourful late into the year, so you don't want to lose them in summer. They thrive in cooler semi-shade and moist soil, so these will also need watering. If you're going away, move them into full shade and stand them in pot saucers. Even then, they will still need watering every other day when it's dry. Potted plants are always vulnerable, especially smaller potfuls. It's a good idea to use larger containers. The sun lovers, such as pelargoniums, could be left for a week, but not two. 'Pink Capricorn' is my star recommendation. It will get by on a weekly water if it has to. Later season perennials Three times a week They've caught the worst of the summer drought, but most will recover once the autumn rains come. The only three I'd specify, for resuscitation purposes, are echinaceas, heleniums and rudbeckias because a dry, hot spell can see them off. A three-times-weekly can or bucket, gently tipped over them in the morning or evening, will keep them going for another year.
The Independent
a day ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Hosepipe ban: Botanist reveals which plants to save and which to sacrifice
With hosepipe bans in force across several English regions and more restrictions likely to follow, gardeners face some tough choices. When every drop counts, which plants deserve your precious water from the water butt, and which should you leave to fend for themselves? As someone who has researched how British gardeners need to adapt to respond to our changing climate, I can tell you that not all garden plants are created equal when it comes to water needs. Some plants will bounce back from a summer scorching, while others may never recover. Top plants to prioritise for watering 1. New woody plants Any woody plant installed in the last 12-18 months should be your absolute priority. These haven't yet developed the deep root systems needed to find moisture reserves and going without enough water the first year or so after planting could kill them. Water thoroughly and add a deep mulch of wood chips to help the soil hold water. For young trees you can install a watering bag around the trunk but you still need to top it up. 2. Hydrangeas Hydrangeas adopt a conservative strategy when it comes to drought. They shut their stomata (leaf pores) rapidly when they sense dry soil, and keep them closed until consistent moisture returns. They often drop their leaves too. This can mean many weeks without growth, after even a relatively short drought period. So if you want to keep them looking at their best, they need consistent watering. You can cut growth back to reduce water loss, and save the the plant at the cost of flowers. 3. Moisture loving trees Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), along with other moisture-loving trees like birch and beech, are prone to serious die-back during summer droughts. Their shallow root systems and large leaves make them particularly vulnerable to water stress. Water and mulch them. 4. Soft herbaceous plants Astilbe, dicentra, filipendula, heuchera, primula, trollius and many other soft herbaceous plants require good moisture levels and may not survive prolonged drought. 5. Shallow-rooted shrubs Rhododendrons and azaleas are shallow-rooted shrubs particularly susceptible to drought stress, especially the large-leaved evergreen species which are also prone to wind damage when stressed. 6. Clematis Many clematis varieties struggle with drought. Since they're often grown for their spectacular flowering displays, maintaining adequate moisture around the roots is crucial, especially for autumn-flowering varieties, or spring-flowering varieties which flower on the previous year's growth. A gravel mulch can help keep the roots cool and damp. However, clematis orientalis, terniflora, and evergreens such as C. cirrhosa can be surprisingly tolerant of a hot dry period. 7. Ripening vegetables If you're growing vegetables, prioritise crops approaching harvest and those that split when moisture returns after drought, such as carrots. Runner beans and courgettes need moist soil to keep cropping and potato yields are heavily influenced by water levels. 8. All the pots Anything in pots has limited access to soil moisture reserves and will need regular attention. Move containers to shadier spots if possible. Always use a pot saucer to hold water and prevent it draining away. Plants that can survive without extra water Research into plant water-stress shows that many common garden plants are surprisingly resilient. Forsythia adopts a risk-taking strategy. It keeps growing and photosynthesising even when soil moisture becomes limited, gambling that it can regrow after damage. This makes it remarkably drought-tolerant. It is also tolerant of heavy pruning which can save it in severe conditions. Mediterranean shrubs like lavender, rosemary, sage and thyme are naturally adapted to dry conditions. Their grey, hairy or waxy leaves are evolved to conserve moisture. Soil conditions are crucial though. If the plants are deep rooted they will draw water up, but if your soil is shallow or compacted they might well be less drought tolerant. Sedums, sempervivums and other succulents store water in their fleshy leaves and can survive extended dry periods. RHS research identifies Sedum spectabile as particularly reliable under stress. Ornamental grasses generally have efficient root systems and many species actually prefer drier conditions once established. Established shrubs including cistus, phlomis, buddleja, cotoneaster, berberis and viburnum have deep roots and proven track records for drought survival. The RHS report identifies these as garden stalwarts, with high stress resilience. Some trees, including eucalyptus, bay (Laurus nobilis) and holm oak are remarkably drought tolerant. Those to sacrifice Grass lawns are thirsty and can be left to go dormant. If you have a newly seeded or turfed lawn from this year, some limited watering may be justified. But in general, embrace the golden colour of water-stressed lawns. As long as you don't create too many bare patches from over-use, the green colour and growth will come back when it rains. Annual bedding plants like busy lizzies and begonias have shallow root systems and high water demands. However, they are only there for one season and are easily replaceable, so prioritise them for watering only if they're particularly important to your garden's summer display and you can spare the water. You could save some by potting them up and enjoying a display that needs less water. When you do water, research shows that technique is crucial. Water thoroughly but less frequently to encourage deep root growth. Focus water at the base of plants rather than on leaves, and water in early morning or evening to reduce evaporation. Consider 'split-root' watering for established shrubs – water one side of the plant thoroughly, then switch to the other side two to three weeks later. This keeps plants hydrated while chemical signals from the dry side's roots prevent excessive new growth that would increase water demands. This drought is a taste of Britain's gardening future. The plants struggling most in this year's drought are likely to become increasingly unsuitable for British gardens without intensive irrigation. Be willing to swap out plants that suffer in drought for new plants that are more tolerant. Refresh plantings to adapt to the new climate.
The Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Sun
A 40p bathroom staple will get rid of ‘invasive' caterpillars destroying your garden this summer
A BATHROOM staple that sells for only 40p at stores will protect your garden from "invasive" caterpillars. The everyday item is a surprising repellent against the insects that destroy box hedging and topiary plants. 1 Gardeners have been warned to watch out for the box tree moth caterpillar. The caterpillars, which are the larvae of the box tree moth, eat the leaves and bark of box trees. In only a few days, they may turn once-beautiful bushes dark, barren, and beyond rescuing. Ecology specialists at Arbtech have alerted gardeners that the number of caterpillars peak in July and August. 40p solution But a 40p hack can help keep the pests away from your garden. A simple bar of soap from Sainsbury's can prevent caterpillars from ruining your plants. An unscented bar acts as a repellent as many insects dislike the scent and residue that soap leaves behind. Simply leave a bar of soap near your plants or rub residue on leaves to keep insects at bay. Soapy water also works wonders as it dries out caterpillars' outer layer, leading them to die from dehydration. For households with children or pets, soap is a low-risk alternative to chemical pesticides, and when used properly, it is less likely to damage pollinators. Alan Titchmarsh's top 7 plants that 'transform ugly fences with gorgeous flowers & fragrance' & they grow for years Experts' warning Infestations can be disastrous if left untreated with severely affected plants having to be uprooted and replaced completely. An ecologist from Arbtech told Tivy Side: 'Box tree moth caterpillars might look harmless, but they're an invasive species that can strip a healthy plant in no time - and because they often feed from the inside out, many people don't realise there's a problem until it's too late. 'Box hedging is hugely popular in British gardens, so this species is having a serious impact not just aesthetically, but financially too. 'We're urging homeowners to check their plants regularly over the summer months. "Look for tell-tale signs like webbing, leaf loss, or green-and-black striped caterpillars.'
Times
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Times
Forty days of rain after St Swithin's? Not likely, but it will be wet
St Swithin could be making a big splash this summer. The saint's feast day on Tuesday, July 15, was marked by widespread rains sweeping across many areas with cool, wet winds, and if weather lore is to be believed, we can now expect 40 successive days of rain. Even though this prediction never exactly comes true, the outlook for the near future is likely to be a see-saw between wet and dry spells, as low and high pressure jostle for dominance over the country. It is too soon to forecast exactly where any rain will fall, however, and even though Wednesday was a largely warm sunny day, it was only a brief respite before more rain is set to return on Thursday, largely in the west and northwest of the UK. A belt of heavier rain is coming up from France on Saturday and Sunday, with some sunny interludes, before more wet weather arrives at the start of next week. After that, the weather is likely to be full of ups and downs — one lot of rain followed by another dry spell and so on. And although much of the UK is going to feel hot and muggy in the east and southeast on Thursday, the good news for anyone who struggled in the recent heatwaves is that there looks to be no immediate threat of another spell of extreme heat. After last weekend's scorching sunshine, any rainfall is going to be welcome news for gardeners, especially in areas under a hosepipe ban, or about to begin a hosepipe ban. But the return of some rain does not mean hosepipe bans will be lifted soon or that the threat of drought is over for much of the country. Dry weather has been a persistent theme this year, with rainfall running below average across the UK since the early days of January. We experienced the driest spring in England since 1893, followed by a dry June, with England once again bearing the brunt. The first half of July was also dry, so it will take a great deal more rain to make up that huge deficit in rainfall.
The Sun
16-07-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
Lidl's £4.99 drought-resistant plant will thrive ALL summer long – as another 1million households hit by hosepipe ban
LIDL is selling an affordable plant that will keep thriving all summer long and attracts wildlife. The drought-resistant plant is perfect as more households are affected by hosepipe ban despite the scorching temperatures. The supermarket chain has introduced lavender pots for this week's bargains as gardeners will be searching for low-maintenance plants. The beautiful shrub is retailing for only £4.99 and comes in a pack of six. It can be planted in pots or borders, and has a height of 16 to 20cm. To get the most out of your lavender, plant it in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. The best part about lavender is that it won't need much watering and prefers to stay on the dry side. Lavender doesn't only adorn your garden, but also has many practical uses from attracting bees to being the base for essential oils. If you're looking to make your lavender grow bigger and bushier faster, a gardener has a 45p hack you can try. HOSEPIPE BAN watering gardens filling paddling pools, hot tubs or swimming pools washing cars, patios, or windows Hosepipe ban for MILLIONS more Brits as fourth water firm is days from imposing restrictions Anyone who doesn't follow the hosepipe ban faces an up to £1,000 fine under the Management Act 2010. All four major water firms are yet to confirm the end date for the hosepipe ban. Up to five more regions could be in a drought by September, according to the Environment Agency. It comes after the Environment Agency declared the Solent and South Downs areas as experiencing "prolonged dry weather" and following the UK being hit with the driest spring in over 100 years. Thames Water said: "This year, the UK experienced one of its warmest and driest springs in over a century. "June was also England 's warmest on record. The Environment Agency has put our area into the prolonged dry weather category. "That's why we need to bring in a hosepipe ban. "It will help protect the environment and make sure there's enough water to go around this summer." MORE LIDL BARGAINS Plus, a viral tan from Lidl has proven to be a fan favourite this summer season. Lidl also has a 55p caffeine drink that fans say could rival the likes of Starbucks.
