Blog

Top 5 Tips for Summer Gardening

By Sian Bunney
05th July 2016

Unpredictable rain storms and unexpected heatwaves can make this season quite challenging for gardeners, their plants and visiting wildlife. Read this guide from Greenhouse Sensation to keep your outdoor space glorious this summer.

1. Deter garden pests
If you’re not sure what’s munching on your fruit and veg, hang up some insect sticky traps and check your findings against a pest guide to help you identify the creatures you are having problems with. Keep an eye out for slugs and snails that love warm, wet weather. Organic slug pellets are a deterrent that will create an abrasive barrier – it’s a wildlife-friendly way to stop these slimy invertebrates munching through your plants.

2. Check your under cover space
Hose the floor of your greenhouse or polytunnel to increase humidity and lower the temperature, deterring spider mites. Keep your growing area well-ventilated by opening doors and windows, preventing plants from overheating or forming mould and fungal growth.

3. Holiday-proof your plants
If you can’t find someone to water your container crops, move pots to a shaded area of your garden. This should help to reduce any loss of moisture. If you have a self-watering planter such as a Quadgrow, then its smart reservoir will help keep edibles healthy while you’re away.

4. Stay weed-free
Weeds are notorious for growing rapidly, competing with your plants for valuable moisture and nutrients. Using mulch is an extremely useful method of preventing the growth of weeds, and protecting roots from extreme temperatures.

5. Tend to garden wildlife
Native creatures can suffer in the heat, as food and water can be in short supply. A well-irrigated plot will keep worms near the surface of the soil, and will tempt slugs and snails away from shady areas, allowing birds, frogs and hedgehogs to snaffle them. Consider using birdfeeders to provide feathered friends with a variety of food, and allow them to cool down in a bird bath.