Whilst it’s been wonderful basking in glorious, almost uninterrupted sunshine for what feels like forever, the heatwave presents a number of challenges for the green-fingered among us.
Whilst warm weather in summer is not unusual, it’s rare for it to be so dry for so long. Believe it or not, actual rainfall isn’t that far off normal averages for this time of year, but what is different is how it falls. Rather than falling steadily and lightly over a number of days, some areas have had their month’s rainfall in just one day. Hitting the parched ground, much of this will run off without soaking into the land, meaning it does little good for vegetation.
All around I see parched grass, nearly brown from lack of water – if this is you, it’s important to remember not to cut your lawn. It will re-green when the rain comes, but won’t grow when brown and you’ll only damage your lawn. Much as I love a green lawn, it’s highly water-intensive to water it, so you may wish to consider whether it’s worth it.
Where your plants are concerned, however, it’s essential. Thankfully I invested in a water butt earlier in the year, so have been able to largely utilise rainwater – something I’d definitely recommend (tap water is, after all, chlorinated).