Weeks of hot, dry weather have left gardens looking a little worse for wear. From pots and containers to hanging baskets trailing outside your front door, you may be wondering how to help your garden recover.
But what if the leaves on your plants have completely burnt from the sun? Should you remove them to help plants recover? Or leave them for your end-of-year prune?
“In most cases, you don’t need to remove every damaged leaf straight away,” says Dr Russell Sharp, Founder, Eutrema.
“Leaves with brown edges can still provide some protection for the healthy parts of the plant while it recovers, and removing too much foliage at once can create more stress because the plant loses its ability to produce energy through photosynthesis.”
The leaves you should remove are those which are completely dead and brown, as they won’t recover. Rather than pruning the tree or plant, individually remove scorched leaves to make way for new growth.
imageBROKER/Karl-Heinz Schein//Getty Images
“If only the edges or sections of a leaf are damaged, it’s usually better to leave it in place and allow the plant to recover naturally,” adds Dr Russell.
As well as removing, he recommends: “Water deeply around the base of the plant as this encourages roots to grow downwards and access moisture more effectively. Water early in the morning or later in the evening when less water is lost to evaporation. Adding a layer of mulch around plants can also help keep the soil cooler and reduce moisture loss during hot weather.”
It’s also best to avoid feeding heat-stressed plants with strong fertilisers, as they may struggle to absorb nutrients while recovering.
To protect plants from scorching temperatures, move pots and containers into the shade — or use a parasol to shield them from the sun.
Summer gardening edit
Dunelm Round Galvanised Plant Pot
Now 30% Off
Eden Terracotta Pot
Now 47% Off
Metal Square Digging Spade
Burgon & Ball Burgon & Ball Sophie Conran Garden Tool Trug
McGregor 3 Pieces Garden Hand Tool Set
Lisa Joyner
Deputy Daily Editor, Country Living and House Beautiful
Lisa Joyner is the Deputy Daily Editor at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she’s busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market. Previously, she has written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazine. Lisa studied at University For The Creative Arts, where she completed a BA in Fashion Journalism.
Comments are closed.