I hope I’ll be eating my words in a couple of weeks as we head into August. The milder, wetter weather throws up a different set of challenges in the garden to the ones we usually expect this time of year.
Here is what to watch out for — and how you can be ready if the weather does (finally) take a turn to the hotter side.
Conditions for weeds to germinate have never been better, the soil is warm and is getting a regular downpour.
Typically, by July the growth of new weeds slows down owing to a lack of moisture in the ground. If you’ve been removing weeds from your garden, you may have noticed that new ones have emerged within a matter of days.
Get to know your weeds before you tackle them
Marianne Majerus
Weeds are not all bad, and you can save yourself some time by leaving some of the harmless ones in the garden (their cover will also prevent the soil being washed away in heavy downpours).
But until you know your dandelion from your dead-nettle it can be hard to know what you are removing. Take some time to learn what’s what next time you find yourself in the borders.
Consider careful mulching
Whilst mulching is something that typically takes place in the cooler months, when leaves have died back, you can still get away with adding a layer around plants if you are careful.
Wood chip mulchs can lock in moisture in a wet summer
Shutterstock / ronstik
Mulch is normally organic matter like home-made compost or wood chips. It needs to be spread at least 5cm deep to begin to be effective, 10 or 15cm is even better.
The benefit of mulching is that it locks moisture into the soil when it gets hot, as well as providing nutrients for plants. In a dry summer it’s unadvisable, as it often dries out before the worms and other soil life have had an opportunity to draw it down into the soil.
Make hay whilst the sun shines. Or save water whilst it rains. We waste so much usable water in the city, sending it straight from our roofs into the drains.
Having a way to capture this water will not only save money, but will also lead to happier plants too.
A water butt can save all that rain for later
RHS/Tim Sandall/PA
It’s not possible in every situation, but if you can divert water from a downpipe into a water butt or trough, you can have a constant supply of water. It is amazing how quickly a typical London terrace roof can fill a water butt after even a short downpour.
Don’t forget to water pots and containers
Despite the downpours, plants growing in containers will not be getting enough water.
It’s easy to forget about watering when the sun isn’t shining, but anything in a pot will still need watering at least once a week, if not more frequently, depending on the size of pot and the plant.
Wilting leaves and pots that are light to lift up are a good indicator that your plants are thirsty. If a pot has really dried out, it might be worth submerging it in the sink or a bucket of water, to get the water back into the core of the rootball.
Watch out for soil in containers shrinking around the edges, as when you water, it all runs down the sides and out the bottom of the container.