When you’re in the garden during the hot summer months don’t forget to grab a hat and slap on the sun screen.
It’s very important not to overdo it, so work for a short while and then have a break – sit in the shade and relax with a cool drink.
The photo opposite show the garden at the Thrive Trunkwell Garden Project in Beech Hill near Reading, Berkshire. It was taken in June and shows the plots maintained by Thrive's disabled gardeners - each has their own bed which they look after and they can choose the planting scheme.
- Watering is obviously a priority job during the summer to keep your plants healthy. Simple tips like grouping your pots together and putting saucers under them will help. You can cut the need to water by mulching the soil or by adding water-retaining gel or granules to the compost. Find out more about Thrive’s top tips for easier watering
- You’ll find that some watering cans are easier to carry than others and there is a wide range of equipment designed to help you water your garden. Find your way through the maze of watering gadgets with our selection of equipment and tools for watering
- Lawns can appear to suffer in the hot weather, but if your grass is healthy it can tolerate going brown. If however you would like to keep your lawn green, it’s better to water it really thoroughly occasionally than give it a little water often. Spiking your grass using a fork will help the water to penetrate and don’t forget to raise the cutting height of your mower blades as mowing your grass very short will encourage the growth of moss and weeds.
- Culinary herbs are at their best during the warm summer months, cut them on a warm dry day for maximum flavour and scent. Why not make some herb ice cubes for summer drinks? Borage flowers and mint leaves are particularly good. Other herbs can be frozen in ice cubes and added to cooked dishes straight from the freezer.
- Keep your annuals flowering by watering frequently, feeding with a potassium rich plant food and keep up with the deadheading!
- Why not sow seeds of hardy biennials such as Forget-me-nots and Campanulas so you have some flowering plants for next year. Sowing seeds is easy and you can sit comfortably at a table indoors or out. Find out more about easier ways to sow seeds
- Prune your early flowering shrubs and climbers immediately after flowering to encourage new growth which will flower the following year. Some hedges can be cut in the summer – Box, Privet, Yew and Leyland Cypress can be cut twice during the growing season to keep them neat and tidy. Have a look at our equipment and tools recommended for pruning and trimming hedges
- Start planning ahead for autumn and spring tasks – label any plants that you’d like to move in the summer when you know what they are and before they die back.