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It's been a confusing spring for gardeners; first the weather was dry and the soil parched, then we were all wishing it would stop raining long enough to get out in the garden and now the sun is out and someone has turned up the thermostat! When I agreed to write an article on gardening for drought conditions the task seemed straightforward, now not so!
Gardening during the "wettest drought on record!"
24 May Posted by Helen Hicks
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I've had some experience of living in a very dry place - Utah, USA, famous for dry places like the Bonneville Salt Flats and Zion National Park, and some of the things I learnt there will work well here too. They are good gardening principles whether it is dry or not. The photos come from my garden in Salt Lake City.
Remember your roots
If you have to water, it is better to do it less frequently and for longer so that the water really soaks down into the soil where it is needed. If you do this, watering once, maybe twice a week should be plenty for vegetables and bedding plants. Watering like this encourages the plants to put down deeper roots. If you water little and often, plants will develop shallow roots and be more likely to suffer in dry spells. Sink a flower pot into the ground next to a plant and watering into that is a good idea. Don't water too fast so that the water runs off and is wasted that's why drip irrigation is such a good idea.
Good old Cosmos with sunflowers behind (you really can't go wrong with sunflowers!)
Mulch, mulch, mulch!
- The soil will retain more moisture if you dig in plenty of organic matter such as compost or horse manure.
- Cover the soil with a thick layer of mulch (ideally 2 or 3 inches but even a little bit will help) It stops the water in the soil evaporating and means you'll need to water less. The mulch can be wood chip, gravel, cocoa bean shells (they smell lovely!), even grass cuttings though that may not look so attractive. The mulch has the added bonus of keeping the weeds down.
A lovely grass called Pennisetum alopecuroides (fountain grass) There is also a lovely red one called Pennisetum rubrum
England's green and pleasant land
- If your grass goes brown through lack of rain - leave it! Grass is an amazing type of plant and can recover.
- Longer grass will resist drought more so set the blades of your lawn mower as high as possible. Better still leave some of it to grow into a meadow which will save you time and help wildlife.
Choose your plants carefully
Choose your plants carefully and plant them in the right conditions. Many plants may not need any watering once established and will cope with the worst drought the English weather can hand out!
I grew plants in Utah which I also grow here and they have been successful in both. They are good in a drought but will also cope if we end up with a damp and dreary summer. Some of my old faithfuls are:
- Sedums
- Mediterranean plants such as lavender and rosemary
- Cosmos has never let me down on either side of the Atlantic, Californian Poppies also thrive in dry conditions but do well here too.
- Bulbs like irises are a really good idea as they usually store up water when conditions are wetter and can cope in dry spells.
- Ornamental grasses such as Festuca glauca (blue fescue) and Pennisetum rubrum
Blue fescue grass in the front with blue Salvia (not sure what kind but they are all pretty tough) and Yarrow (Achillea) immediately to the right. The pale green plants at the back are called rabbit grass and are an American native from the sage brush country (just like in those westerns!)
Steer clear of pots and hanging baskets (especially hanging baskets!)
I hate having to water pots and plants will dry up quicker in them than if they are in the ground. If you really want them, mix in water storing gel granules to the compost this will cut down the frequency with which you will need to water.
California Poppy - very happy in the dry! Will also tolerate wet conditions
