News

Sep 08, 2023

Gardening with Pat Duke: Beat the heat with smart watering and easy plant propagation

It hasn’t taken long for the sunshine to have baked the soil into a brick-like

It hasn't taken long for the sunshine to have baked the soil into a brick-like surface.

Cracks are appearing in the beds already and even where there was a fine tilth it now resembles a tray of burnt flapjack.

Watering vulnerable seedlings either morning or evening is essential to their survival in these arid and sunny conditions.

We seem to have gone very quickly from flooded fields to baked soil in a matter of weeks. With this at least we know there is some moisture underground for the more established plants to thrive.

If water is in short supply during the hosepipe ban then use it wisely by prioritising seedlings and vulnerable-looking plants.

I've been using a large watering can to fill a smaller one to target plants more specifically rather than sloshing the valuable life-giving element all across the paths only to encourage weeds.

As there is less to do in the beds it's ideal to have a go at taking softwood cuttings from shrubs.

This is how garden centres populate their shelves, so you’re missing a trick if you omit this from your gardening knowledge CV.

First job is to carefully select the cutting by finding a new shoot that is yet to flower. Use a very sharp knife to reduce the chance of infection. Cut at the lowest joint and remove all leaves apart from the top ones.

Once you’ve filled a pot with propagation compost, plant the cuttings around the edge and keep watered. If you don't have a greenhouse or similar, then put them on a sunny windowsill as they need a good deal of humidity.

Keep well watered and anchored in the soil until you notice some leaf growth in a few weeks' time. Couldn't be simpler to obtain extra shrubs for nothing.

If you have too many, they can be given away to a grateful recipient to plant and help the bees somewhere else.

ON THE PLOT

Most seeds can be sown outdoors by the end of May. The recent summers have told us that the growing season is getting longer and we think nothing of picking flowers in October or even cutting the lawn in early December.

Basil is ready for planting out now and is a good cut and come-again crop for summer. Try making your own pesto with it and you’ll soon find you can't live without it.

The potatoes are well and truly out and banked up now and should be kept watered where you can.

Rows of beetroot, carrots and parsnips should be thinned out. I know it always seems a waste to airlift out weaker seedlings, so try potting them up in moist seed compost ideally or whatever soil you have, if not.

Do it as quickly as you can as the vulnerable roots of a seedling will die very quickly so try and trick them into thinking nothing has changed.

No vegetable garden should be without leeks and if I'm honest I’d rather use them than onions in most dishes. They are greedy plants and need a lot of food in the form of well-rotted matter.

I plant my seedlings about now and cut them down to just above soil level to help develop and establish the roots and core.

Poke a finger down into the soil and drop the seedling in, it's that simple. Fill the hole with water then fill in with soil and water again.

Any organic compound that's decomposing can be added on top. Grass cuttings keep the weeds at bay and feed with nitrogen for green growth.

Most of all, catch the sun on your face and keep hydrated with your cold drink of choice as just like the plants, we need to be fed and watered in the sunshine too.

Join the newsletter to receive the latest updates in your inbox.