How to protect your garden against dry spells

The weather in the UK is getting more extreme, with prolonged dry spells and warmer temperatures throughout all four seasons set to become the norm. So, what is the best way to prepare your garden for these new conditions? Here, we offer our top tips for protecting your garden against dry spells.

Prepare

The best way to protect your garden against dry weather is to prepare it in advance. A great way to do this is to use products that make your garden less “thirsty”. For example, biochar is proven to increase soil’s water-holding capacity by up to 22 percent. This means plants can survive a lot longer in hot and dry environments. That’s why Carbon Gold’s products are used to plant trees in places like Qatar where summer heatwaves regularly exceed 40⁰C and the soils are incredibly sandy!

Mulch

Using a mulch will also help soil to retain moisture during dry spells. Plus, opting for a dry, light-coloured mulch will be effective in reflecting the heat away from veg patches, flowerbeds and trees during the warmer months.

With the weather becoming more and more unpredictable, we’d recommend ensuring you always have a supply of mulch stashed in your shed. Alternatively, you can make your own mulch by collecting organic matter, such as fallen leaves, from your garden.

Water

When the weather is warm, the very best thing to do is to ensure it is watered regularly. We’d recommend watering in the evening when it’s cooler as you will lose less moisture to evaporation.

With periods of extreme heat during the summer months becoming more likely, it is also worth preparing for potential hosepipe bans. Collecting rainwater and storing it in a water butt for use during these times is a great way to keep your garden healthy and is much more environmentally friendly than using water from the tap.

Rearrange

On sunny days it is also worth moving plants in containers out of direct sunlight, particularly if the weather has been particularly dry. Trees, walls, or even taller, hardier plants can all provide excellent shade without having to move your pots too far.