Amateur Gardening – 13 July 2019

13 JULY 2019AMATEUR GARDENING 5

Easy divisions: Herbaceous perennials are at their peak

now, and in next week’s AG (in the shops 16 July) I show

you how to keep them going with care and dividing.

Four essential holiday jobs

Make sure you come home to a happy garden, says Ruth

1

Cluster pots together somewhere

sheltered and shady to reduce the

rate of water evaporation and cut up

old towels for a ‘wick’ system.

2

Weed well before you go, so

you don’t come home to a thicket

of unwanted greenery stealing your

plants’ water and food.

3

Returning from holiday is bad

enough without finding a garden of

dead blooms. Cut off flowers before you

go to encourage new buds and blooms.

4

If you can, lay a soaker hose

through your most important

beds. Set it on a timer, and it will then

slowly release water in your absence.

Summer weather can turn on a

sixpence, so always make sure your

garden is prepared to withstand the

worst eventualities.

Make sure young trees are

securely staked, and that there is no

danger of long branches splintering

and snapping under the weight of

too much fruit.

Also ensure that if they were to

break and fall they won’t cause injury

to anyone or structural damage to

nearby property.

Tall, whippy plants and those with

delicate stems, such as delphiniums,

should also be staked to avoid

upsetting breakages.

Containers should be stood

squarely on pot feet so they don’t

wobble and topple, which allows

excess rainfall from summer squalls

to drain away quickly.

Avoiding

problems

Make sure young trees are

securely supported

Timed irrigation is an easy way to water while away

TIMED irrigation systems, which are

supplied by many leading garden

brands, take the stress out of

watering the garden, whether

you’re at home or away.

They comprise

thin lengths of flexible

hosepipe that can be cut

to the required length

and attached to small

drippers. You thread them

around the pots, growbags

and borders that need the

most watering.

This system is linked to a timer

attached to an outside tap. You set the

timer to release water when needed.

Some timers can be linked

to a smartphone and will

keep you updated with

the weather back home,

allowing you to alter

irrigation timings

from your poolside

sun-lounger!

You can also buy

porous soaker hoses

(which slowly release drops

of water along their length)

to attach to a timer.

Control how much water is delivered

to your plants, and when brands, take the stress out of

watering the garden, whether

around the pots, growbags

This system is linked to a timer

Some timers can be linked

to a smartphone and will

keep you updated with

the weather back home,

allowing you to alter

irrigation timings

from your poolside

sun-lounger!

porous soaker hoses

(which slowly release drops

of water along their length)

to attach to a timer.

Irrigation controlled by

a computerised timer

Avoiding

problems

Place containers

on pot feet