In lovely weather our plants may be under a lot of stress so a few tips re watering.
- Best one is mulching – ensure soil is moist before you mulch any area and best / free mulch at this time is grass cuttings – layers no more than 5cm thick at a time will be fine but don’t put on stems of shrubs etc. when grass starts to decompose then add more. Don’t use if you have put any weed killer/ moss killer on lawn
- Use of grey water – Use any second hand water e.g.washing up water, bath water as long as not got too much highly scented/ oily substances in e.g. bath oils, washing up liquid is fine.
- Water butt water is great but keep covered and if problem with mosquito larvae then put small amount of olive oil on top of water to produce a film over water surface as this stops breeding of larvae. Replace every couple of months. Can use other oils but may become a bit rancid sooner.
- Water in morning in spring and evening in summer – so water doesn’t evaporate from soil and water the soil NOT the plant especially in green houses to reduce fungal disease growth. Also water in green houses if you can, at this time of year in morning if you can so water can warm up through day in soil .
- Always use clean water for seeds and seedlings as they at their most vulnerable.
- When watering garden, if necessary, then water a lot in one go and not every day. Most established plants won’t need watering only recently planted plants will need watering.
- Watering containers – these need a lot of water but will also benefit from mulching e.g compost from compost bins, chipped back etc
