• Watering Wisdom

• Mulch Magic

• Planting Power

• Beat the Midday Heat

Summer sunshine brings vibrant blooms and bountiful harvests, but scorching temperatures can also stress your precious plants. Fear not, fellow green thumbs! By implementing a few strategic adjustments, your garden can flourish even in the hottest months.

Water is life, especially during a heatwave. Here's how to ensure your plants stay hydrated:

Deep Soaking is Key:

Ditch the daily spray. Instead, water thoroughly 2-3 times a week, reaching deep into the root zone. This encourages roots to grow deeper, making plants more resilient to drought.

Early Bird Gets the Water:

Water in the cool mornings or evenings to minimise evaporation. Avoid mid-day watering, as the sun can scorch leaves. There is some debate over this old wives tale, but it's not worth the risk if you can avoid it. 

Know Your Plants:

Different plants have varying water needs. Sun-loving vegetables like tomatoes and peppers require more frequent watering than shade-tolerant ferns or hostas.

Mulch is your garden's superhero in hot weather. A 2-4 inch layer of organic mulch, like wood chips or shredded bark, offers a wealth of benefits:

Moisture Retention:

Mulch acts like a blanket, suppressing soil evaporation and keeping precious moisture locked in.

Temperature Regulation:

Mulch insulates the soil, keeping it cool and preventing scorching.

Weed Suppression:

It discourages pesky weeds that compete with your plants for water and nutrients.

Make smart choices when planting during the summer heat:

Heat-Loving Heroes:

Opt for plants known to thrive in hot weather, like ornamental grasses, lavender, zinnias, and marigolds.

Shade Seekers:

Group heat-sensitive plants together for mutual shade and consider adding shade covers during peak sun hours.

Succession Planting:

Plant cool-season crops like lettuce and spinach in succession for a continuous harvest throughout the summer.

Gardening under the summer sun requires you to stay cool and hydrated as well:

Hydration Hero:

Drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you don't feel thirsty.

Sun Safety Savvy:

Wear protective clothing, including a hat, sunglasses, and long sleeves to shield yourself from UV rays.

Schedule Strategically:

Tackle the most demanding gardening tasks during cooler morning or evening hours. Take breaks in shaded areas to avoid overexertion.

Group Plants Wisely:

Strategically position plants to maximise shade. Taller plants can provide shade for heat-sensitive ones.

Container Care:

Container plants dry out faster than those in the ground. Check them daily and water as needed.

Harvest Regularly:

Picking ripe fruits and vegetables encourages continued growth and prevents them from rotting on the vine in the heat.

By following these tips, you can create a thriving summer oasis, no matter how hot it gets. Remember, a little planning and care go a long way in ensuring your garden flourishes throughout the entire season. So, grab your hat, water your plants, and enjoy the beauty of your summer garden!

A rhubarb forcer is a bell-shaped pot used to trick rhubarb plants into growing early in the season

Forced rhubarb produces tender, blanched stalks. Think of it like a time machine for your rhubarb, sending it back to winter conditions for a bit to jumpstart its growth.

• Darkness triggers: By blocking out light with the forcer placed over the rhubarb crown in late winter or early spring, you stop photosynthesis. This means no chlorophyll production, resulting in pale pink or red stalks instead of the usual green.
• Sweet and tender focus: Without making chlorophyll, the rhubarb focuses its energy on growing longer and faster, reaching for any light it can sense. This leads to sweet, tender stalks that are less tart than regular rhubarb.
• Early harvest: The darkness also speeds up the growth process, allowing you to harvest rhubarb weeks earlier, sometimes as early as February or March!

• Traditional terracotta: These classic beauties add a touch of charm to your garden, but they can be heavy and prone to breakage.
• Modern materials: Lighter and more durable options like plastic or wood are also available, making them easier to handle and store.
• DIY delights: Feeling crafty? Upcycle buckets or baskets with black plastic to create your own forcers for a personalised touch, although be careful about longevity with lower-quality materials you might be better off simply buying a tested product unless you know what you're doing. 

• Rhubarb forcing can happen anytime between November and March, many gardeners tend to start forcing around January/December time, as there is usually a lull in the gardening calendar at this time of year.

• Forcing rhubarb in late winter will accelerate a harvest in spring giving you stronger, better stems.

• Forced rhubarb stalks grow faster as the plant searches for light to make chlorophyll.
• The sweet glucose produced in the rhubarb that would normally be used to grow the plant's huge leaves is instead stored in the stalks for better flavours in forced rhubarb.