Top Ten Tips to Keep Your Vegetables Happy on Sunny Days

Posted on 24. Apr, 2010 by Tracey in Grow Veg

Apparently April in the UK is now going to be one of the driest on record so how can we help our plants cope with the sunshine and heat.

1. Don’t Water at Midday
Watering should be done first thing in the morning or in the evening so the water can have chance to seep into the soil and not be lost to evaporation as it would do in the midday sun.

2. Mulch
Mulch with grass clippings or compost to keep the moisture in once watered. This saves on a lot of watering in the days to come which saves money especially if you are on a water meter.

Watering Your Plot

3. Know Your Vegetables
Know your water requirements of vegetables. Onions and Shallots do not require constant watering, I only water them once or twice a week. Vegetables in flower however like my broad beans do need regular watering so they can produce their pods.

New Seedlings will also require regular watering so they can establish themselves and try not to let the surface of the soil become hard and form a cap as this means the water and air struggles to reach the roots.

4. Plot and Sun Position
By working out how many hours of sun your plot gets a day, you will be able to tell what your approximate water requirements might be. My plot is in a south facing garden however it is shaded by a workshop and a fence. It only gets sun for 4 hours between 10am and 2pm however these hours are when the suns reaches its hottest and highest in the sky. Unfortunately for me this means more watering in the summer time.

New Cloche on Raised Beds

5. Cloches
Cloches can help keep the majority of harsh weather out however it can also be like an oven under a cloche and on the soil surface. Help your plants by watering and mulching.

6. Dealing with Pests
Pests must be dealt with as soon as you spot them, check your plants regularly otherwise they may take over your plants or spread to others.

7. Supporting Your Plants
By staking any plants that require it, this will be helping them not to become stressed, if they temporarily are wilting in the heat, the stake will help keep them from the hot soil surface. Staking helps protect the plant stem from any damage by falling over.

Bumblebee

8. Helping the Bees
Bees are very important pollinators as are other flying insects and should be encouraged into our vegetables gardens, especially if you are going to be growing runner beans later in the year as you will need some pollinators for the flowers.

Start encouraging bees to visit your plot early in the season by starting off mange tout, tomatoes, french beans. Even grow herbs or flowers nearby to ensure they will have a great visit once they have arrived.

9. Invest in a Water Butt
For your future watering needs, the best thing you can do is buy a water butt before the autumn. Either attach it to a downpipe or add some simple guttering to a wooden mini greenhouse or shed, you’ll be amazed how much water you save. Best Buys are on Ebay or Wilkinsons or try Snaffle Up.

10. Be Water Wise
When watering your plants only water the soil around your plants stems, don’t water from above so the water runs onto your plant leaves as this is inefficient use of water, the water will evaporate from the plant leaves and may never reach the soil.

Tomatoes - Potting On

Consider buying or finding a water tray (you could use ceramic dishes or plastic Tupperware boxes) to sit your greenhouse plants in to water them. This helps their uptake of water through the roots and prevents damping off or mould forming on the top of compost if watered from the top.

Whats your weather going to be like this weekend?
Check the Met Office Worldwide Forecast.

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