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Heat SOS! What to do about my wilting plants

mawallace44mawallace44 Posts: 60
in Problem solving
Watered last night - thought I had watered well.

Gardern looked great this morning - but now I have lots of wilting plants - mostly the fuscias and clematis.

Given it's reached 34 degrees per the garden thermometer I am not surprised!   but what should I do.

I can't water in the morning due to work - how do I protect them against tomorrow's heat - do I water well tonight.

My water moister says that it's very wet in the soil.
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Posts

  • TackTack Posts: 1,367
    I have pulled as many pots into the shade as possible and placed my garden furniture and some random boxes to shade the youngest plants. The plants are losing water faster than they can draw it up. Tonight they should bounce back if the soil is damp at their roots but they may have crispy bits on the buds and newest leaves.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    They're really small and if recently planted probably had a more protected life in a greenhouse, you can try to shade them..and don't trust any sensors, just dig with your finger to see how moist it really is. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • mawallace44mawallace44 Posts: 60
    Watering tonight is a given! should i also water tomorrow about 8 ish? as well as covering up. I am worried that I don't over water them
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited August 2020
    That soil doesn’t look as if it’s been watered enough  to me ... I’d put a sprinkler on that bed for half an hour then move it along a bit every half hour until the whole bed has had a really good soaking. That’s what I did last night and this morning ... I kept setting the kitchen timer for repeated 30 mins. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • mawallace44mawallace44 Posts: 60
    do i need to water the soil every day like this while it's hot? 
  • TackTack Posts: 1,367
    edited August 2020
    I intend to water well once a day but I have very well draining soil.

  • mawallace44mawallace44 Posts: 60
    Morning and night - or just morning
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    The fuchsia won’t like to be in the sun, you may want to move them to the shady part of your garden.  They both look like training fuchsias, they look nicer in big pots so they can trail over the sides, also easier to move around for shade. 

    If you water really well at night the ground will be soaked for at least 12 hours, if you water in the morning it will be dry by lunchtime in this heat. 

    If you don't water for a considerably long time and only wet the surface, plant roots will come to the top looking for it, they need to go down deep, so a real good watering is essential.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • TackTack Posts: 1,367
    Evening, so the plants can use it overnight is what I've always done but now I've got roses morning sounds better for disease prevention.  I'll probably do it evenings carefully to the roots until this heatwave is over.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Wilting is a defence to prevent excess moisture loss from transpiration.   Water thoroughly and deeply this evening and they should perk up but don't panic if the wilt again tomorrow.

    There's also far too much bare soil and not enough vegetation and that means the soil will form a crust and be resistant to water so, when it's cooler and the soil is moist, add  more plants and mulch the soil with organic matter to help retain moisture.  Having plants grouped together helps them create little micro-climates and hang on to moisture.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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