We had barely recovered from June’s heatwave (which came hot on the heels of May’s) when July’s hit. And if you think humans have it bad with sleep struggles, school closures, short tempers and endless train delays, spare a thought for our plants, which are facing their third sucker punch of heat in as many months.

‘What’s different about this latest heatwave is that it comes on the back of earlier periods of hot weather,’ says GH gardening expert Dan Cooper. ‘That means that some plants are already experiencing drought stress. Signs of this are wilting; brown, frazzled leaf edges; stunted growth; faded flowers; premature leaf drop; and “bolting”, where leafy vegetables produce flowers and go to seed before producing a proper crop. There’s also no imminent prospect of rain, meaning that water butts may soon run dry. On top of that, several areas of the South are already subject to a hosepipe ban. All this adds up to a worrisome time for garden-proud homeowners or anyone who’s going on holiday soon.’

Now, obviously, we can’t control the weather, but there are things we can do to mitigate its impact on our gardens – particularly when they’re frying in the third heatwave in a row.

Prioritise new planting
‘When it comes to watering, it’s a case of prioritising,’ says Dan. ‘Although it may seem counterintuitive, it’s not your annuals you should be seeking to save first. They only last one season and you can start again next year. What’s more, once they’ve flowered and gone to seed, they’re hard to revive in any case.

‘Your top priority should be ensuring that newly planted trees and shrubs – that’s any you’ve planted in the last 12 months – are well watered. Give each at least a watering can full of water once or twice a week. Creating a circular earth dam around each will keep the water close to the roots. Alternatively, plunge a terracotta “olla” pot, or a cut-off plastic bottle, into the ground next to the plant, taking care not to disturb the roots, which will help deliver water beyond the soil’s surface to where it’s needed. And if you live in an area where new street trees have been planted, take pity on them and give them a drink, too!’

Mulch!
‘If you haven’t already mulched your soil, trapping that water underneath, it’s not too late,’ says TV gardener Carol Klein. ‘If you’ve got great compost, bung it on – or composted bark, anything like that, just to retain that water under the surface of the soil.’



Move pots
‘If you have plants growing in containers and can move them into shade, they will need less water,’ says Dan. ‘The same goes for houseplants – they’ll fry near sunlit windows.’

The best time of day to move plants is first thing, says Carol. ‘Do it first thing in morning if you possibly can, so they’re out of the sun’s blast, then move them back overnight or just leave them out of the sun to be going on with,’ she says. ‘That way, you should be able to able to retain plants in really brilliant condition.’

Think long term
‘We all need to start thinking about how to make our gardens more heatwave-proof,’ advises Dan. ‘Summer bedding could become a thing of the past, with annuals grown for colour in spring and autumn, and shrubs, trees and climbers relied upon more for summer colour. A shaded garden is a cooler garden.

‘While large trees might not be an option for everyone, a climber-clad pergola or arbour is a lovely way to create shade over seating and dining areas, and if you choose deciduous varieties, such as wisteria, kiwi fruit or traditional grape vines, they won’t cast shade in the winter, when you most want to enjoy the fleeting sunshine.’