It's the summertime and the hot weather, whilst lovely for us, can bring about some challenges as you grow your vegetable patch. It seems timely to share some valuable advice on how you water your veg patch to keep seeds germinating and your plants growing healthily.
10 of your most common hot weather watering questions are answered for you below;
If your soil is hard and forming a crust then you need to regularly break the crust surface by either gentle hoeing, raking, or even with your hands. This will allow water to soak deeper into the ground. If you water onto the hard crust then water will simply just run off and provide no benefit for the plant
Dig down to a spade’s depth to see if there is moisture in the soil; if so watering is unnecessary. Bear in mind that sandy soils can look dry but still contain moisture and clay soils can look wet, but the water is held too tightly for plants to access
Water at the base of the plant…but before you do, create a small crater around the plant as this will stop water from running away from the roots and will direct more water straight down to where the plant needs it
Water lightly first of all, this allows the water to have an initial soak and then follow up with an abundant soaking which will then be soaked and absorbed by the soil
If you have a layer of mulch, such as hay or straw, then it’s best to move that away from where you are watering as the bulk of the water will be soaked up by the mulch and not the plant
Don’t waste water by watering the leaves…always water at the base of the plant…watering leaves, especially in direct sunlight will lead to scorching and burning the leaves
It’s best to water in the early evening when it’s cooler and the chances of water just evaporating then reduce. The next best alternative is to water early in the morning. But obviously, if you see a plant during the day that’s in desperate need then do water
Water thoroughly to a depth of 30cm. Avoid watering the top centimetre or so on a daily basis, for example. Frequent smaller quantities of water mean that the plants will have a shallower root system which is not what you or the plant need, we are striving for a deep root system and encouraging the plant to seek water further down in the ground is the best way to achieve this
Keep the veg patch weed free. A surprising amount of moisture can be taken from the soil by weeds
If not already done so, then consider adding a 5-7cm layer of mulch as this will help to prevent evaporation and keep the plant's cooler.
also, consider covering plants with a fine layer of fleece as this will help to dissipate the heat that the plant receives and therefore the amount of water that they will be seeking!
"Great germination rate and growing strongly."
Julietta
"They have germinated well and are growing strong. Looking forward to eating them."
Antony
"I had poor germination from apparently fresh seed from another company. Bought these and every seed germinated. Fantastic."
Tracy
Next working day dispatch
All Seeds Are Tested & Certified
5* Customer Reviews