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Nature doesn’t always adhere to a strict schedule – so it’s important to work with the weather you have, not the weather you want.
It won’t have escaped your notice that the weather has been all over the place recently – with whiplash-inducing temperatures swinging between -3 and 12 degrees in a single spring afternoon. The key lesson? Nature doesn’t always adhere to a strict schedule – so it’s important to work with the weather you have, not the weather you want. Unseasonable weather such as sudden frosts, heatwaves, heavy rain, or strong winds, can all pose a threat to your garden. However, with some proactive steps, you can protect your space from the unforeseen impact of unseasonable weather and help keep your plants happy, healthy, and thriving.
Protect your plants from slow-to-exit seasons
When the weather is unpredictable, it can be hard to know how to give budding plants the best start to the coming season – particularly when the leaving season refuses to exit in a timely manner. Frost, for example, can be detrimental to delicate plants, especially during early spring or late autumn. To protect your garden from the kind of late-season frosts that have plagued us this year, cover vulnerable plants with fleece, blankets, or hessian sacks overnight. Avoid using plastic covers, as they can cause condensation and damage the plants. If you can, move your most delicate plants indoors to a greenhouse or conservatory. Mulching at the root can also provide a barrier against the effects of frost damage.
Up your moisture game…
Whether you prefer to spray with a hose or drench with a watering can, the first step to healthy plants in the months ahead is to make sure your soil has a good base level of moisture – no matter what the weather. Start watering your ornamentals and veggies in early spring to help see you through the summer and beyond.
… but not too much
One of the biggest dangers to a beautiful garden is heavy rain – the kind of rain that thunders against leaves, pummels petals, and drains protection products away from the surface of the soil. Heavy rain can lead to waterlogging, erosion, and a whole host of other problems in your garden. Fight back against the sog by keeping gutters clean to ensure proper drainage and redirecting water away from vulnerable areas. Keep an eye on the amount of water you are using in the garden, and use raised beds or containers to improve drainage. If you notice signs of diseases or mould, remove the affected areas of the plant as soon as you can to help prevent further spread.
Eyes to the skies
Strong winds can cause physical damage to plants and disrupt their growth. To protect your plant babies from the threat of strong winds, consider installing windbreaks such as hedges, fences, or trellises. You can also look to secure tall or top-heavy plants with stakes or supports to stop them bending or breaking. Move potted plants to a sheltered spot or even indoors if you can – and prune dead or weak branches from trees and shrubs to reduce wind resistance.
Easy on the fertiliser
Avoid over-fertilising during heatwaves, as too much product to contend with can actually stress the plants further. If possible, water in the early morning or late evening when the temperatures are cooler.
Get yourself a good all-rounder
This is a great time to restock your garage and shed with the key products you will need to help your garden perform at its best this year, even if the weather takes an unexpected turn. To streamline your routine and make sure you are able to get the results you want, the way you want, it’s best to choose one or two all-rounders that pack a punch. As the name suggests, our All-Purpose Liquid Concentrate can be used for almost anything. An organic liquid growth stimulant designed for use on most plants from fruit trees and veg patches, to flowers, bushes and even lawns, Imperium has all the amino acids and peptides that plants need to survive and thrive at their optimum level of performance – you can add to your normal feed for an added boost or reduce the dose of your usual feed due to the improved nutrient-use-efficiecy. It’s vegan-friendly, sustainable, and safe for wildlife, pets, and children alike.
Lastly, our favourite piece of advice is to be proactive and treat your garden the same as you would a picnic, a wedding, or a weekend away. Make the weather app your new best friend, checking ahead so that you can prep in advance of any surprise weather events and have any supplies you need on hand.
Check back here for more month-by-month gardening tips.
