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Tips to survive the dry weather

WaysideWayside Posts: 845
edited July 2018 in Problem solving
Managed to loose some pot plants already in this dry patch - I totally underestimated it and am now worried about some of my other items.  Is there anything I should definitely target with the watering can?

I could see a little browning in the new tips of a couple of years old planted yew hedge.  And suddenly was very fearful so gave it a soaking.

Watering is hard in our garden.  And I have struggled in the heat much this year.  The early months of soak, caught me out.
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  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited July 2018
    I'm finding that water crystals are working very well. It's been easy to test them with toms in pots. Some have crystals and some not. The ones with, are needing far less watering and are looking lush and green.

    Along with pots/planters every other day, I'm watering new trees, fruit trees and roses once a week. I have put a thick layer of grit over planters and pots to hold in the water. If I go away for a few days, I put most pots into shadier spots. My euonymus is looking sulky, but it never seems happy with heat, despite being huge, almost a tree. Lots of things have stopped growing but most large plants/bushes are fine. But my garden is small and not much in full sun.
  • WaysideWayside Posts: 845
    edited July 2018
    I pulled some pots out into the sun at the remote end earlier in the year because they were very wet, and then they dried - and I lost some small plants.  Should have reacted quicker.  I've got a couple of bamboos that've dried right out, and I'm hoping they will tolerate some drought, otherwise they are dead.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Ive got lots of plants still in pots that I would have put out in the garden when the spring early summer ones had finished.
    i have filled a gro bag tray with water and just rotated the small pots in those, you can save you bath water for other pot plants.
    i don’t think I will be planting out the annuals, I don’t think it’s worth potting them on, although I may do a few, I know when the weather breaks towards the end of July I will be sorry if I don’t. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I keep a water bath that I can dunk dry pots in for half an hour or so.
  • ChrisWMChrisWM Posts: 214
    Being new to this; it’s ok to use washing up water on all plants? 
    If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. Cicero
  • BobFlannigonBobFlannigon Posts: 619
    I'd certainly not put it on anything edible, ChrisWM.  Perhaps not do it with any frequent regularity, either.

    This may help you:
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/gardening-in-a-changing-world/water-use-in-gardens/using-grey-water


  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I just use my hose with gay abandon. 
    I live in Devon and we have a high " normal " rainfall. Last year was " above average " so if THEY can't sort it out, why are THEY sending me such a big bill? 
    Shareholder dividends ?? methinks so !!
    Devon.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Teaspoons in the heather was always a sure sign of prolonged dry weather when I was growing up - Mum would always empty the washing up water onto the flowers beds and they didn't seem to come to much harm. Soapy water is better than no water at all, especially if you use an 'eco' type soap
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    "Teaspoons in the heather"

    That would be a lovely title for something - a novel, poetry collection, short story.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I'm with you , Hostafan. Pots in the shade where I can, water where I can't. We get a huge water bill for two houses adjacent to each other. One is using sod all. It's all very well having big dividends to the shareholders (anyone with a pension will be benefitting from that), but the infrastructure badly needs updating.
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