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Drought die back

Sue BestwickSue Bestwick Posts: 32
in Problem solving
Some of my large perennials and fruit bushes are starting to die back early do I prune back and hope for new growth or do I leave alone I've watered some of my plants but I have a v. large garden and a water meter so a bit limited
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  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    I would concentrate on watering the most valuable plants (monetary or sentimental) to begin with, although perhaps that should include fruit and vegetable plants too.  The bedding plants or annuals should be the last on your list Sue.
    We have a very large garden too, cram packed with plants, we are on a meter and know that our water bill is going to be astronomical this quarter, but I would hate to see my plants die - gardening is my number one hobby, so I think it is worth paying the extra to keep them alive.
    I try to save water too but I am not sure whether you can re-use washing up water or that from the shower - any advice would be appreciated.
  • Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
    Wouldn't use water with detergent in... I'm on a meter too but, even so, still wouldn't use water on my gardens. Even if we didn't have drought conditions - I only water pots and newly planted plants, for a couple of weeks. Then - they're on their own.

    The tougher plants will come back - the lawn def will. Anything that doesn't survive will just be an opportunity to have a rethink. :)  Only things I'm slightly worried about are my trees, just hope they are finding moisture somewhere deep down. I just take the approach that worse things happen at sea (so to speak) and it'll be over soon and we'll probably be ankle deep in mud. 

    Having said that - fed up with it now. Does anyone know a rain dance???
  • Sue BestwickSue Bestwick Posts: 32
    Trouble is, carefully what we wish for if it starts raining it may not know when to stop. Thanks for advise poor garden does look tired at moment but as you say plants can always be replaced
  • Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
    Well, rain wouldn't please everyone, but would be fine with me. I'm not built for heat. Feel so bad spending so much time indoors, this past month, but I just can't cope with the heat. If it starts raining you might see me on the news....dancing in the back garden in my smalls. >:)
  • Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
    PS - if a plant has gone completely brown then I'd cut it back. It's not going to go green again and it'll look better. I trimmed a ratty, old fashioned Geranium back last week and it's gone in for a 2nd flowering. No idea where it's getting the energy from!
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Nearly 2 months without rain and a month of daytime temps consistently in the high 20's / low 30's have left many of my plants stressed and the garden parched. 

    In the wider local countryside water courses are very low and many of the trees and hedgerows are looking decidedly autumnal, with brown crispy leaves falling like confetti. Even the nettles are wilting & dying back...

    I have a selection of about 30 shrubs & plants which are either new plantings, key plants or just too expensive to lose. These get 2 watering cans of water each about every 4-5 days. I also use the sprinkler on each border for about 45 minutes each once a week. I'll have to worry about the water bill later.

    Many of my perennials had a very short lived display before going over much earlier than normal. These have all been cut hard back and the new growth is now starting to peek through. It's not the regular colourful high-summer display but I'd rather see a tidy mound of fresh green leaves than a brown straggly plant. 


    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • Sue BestwickSue Bestwick Posts: 32
    Thanks I'm going to go with your advise.this is a quandary cos I'm doing village open garden next year and I don't want to lose this year's planting and hard work. will take plenty cuttings and seeds just in case
  • Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
    Just been out to water my pots and your post got me thinking...if we are going to have more dry spells like this, then we should probably be taking note of what's doing well/dying and adjust our planting accordingly?

    This Buddleia (below) looks terrible, possibly because it's near a lot of trees as 2 others are fine. But the Bamboos are the exact opposite in that the 2 near the trees look healthy - the 20 year old one in the centre of the lawn has curled it's leaves up and looks shocking. The Foxgloves were find until about a week ago. They do usually pretty much look like this, but I think some had died completely - thankfully they seed profusely.

    Lavenders are loving it - best I've ever seen them. Poppies were fine. Phlox don't look too happy - drooping leaves and feeble flowering. Rose of Sharon is growing like a weed (as always) - but at least is greening up a corner and is covered in yellow flowers.

    Fuchsias are flowering nicely - erigeron and ground cover creeping Phlox have been reduced to toast and don't look like anything will resurrect them. Angel's Fishing Rod flowered for a couple of days and has now shrivelled up. Crocosmia leaves are going yellow and no sign of any flowers.

    So I would suggest your answer is to photograph around your garden(s) and see which plants hang in there and start to think about what you might need to change. I will be :)

  • Sue BestwickSue Bestwick Posts: 32
    My borders look very like yours in places nearly feels like tidy up time for autumn 
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    I have the opposite problem with a Salix Flamingo 'standard' tree.  It has put on huge amounts of growth this year and is smothering other plants beneath it.  I'm concerned about stressing it unduly if I try to cut it back in this weather.
    Strangely, my next door neighbour has one which has barely put any growth on at all.
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