Low rainfall and watering the garden

We've had our driest year since 1964 so the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has given advice on how to look after your garden.

Guy Barter, chief horticultural advisor has said: "It would have to be unusually rainy now to fully replenish the soil, so vulnerable plants may need supplementary watering."

He continued, "Most established trees, shrubs and climbers should have sufficient roots to withstand this level of dryness by using water stored in the soil from winter rain, but as summer rain is seldom sufficient for newly planted trees and shrubs, I would suggest that ones planted in the last two years will need watering every 10 days even if we do have rain."

Top tips on watering:

• To decide when to water, inspect the soil at a spade's depth. If the soil feels damp you probably won't have to water the area.
• Wilting is usually preceded by changes in leaf position and a darkening of the leaf colour which may help you determine when you need to water your plants.
• It is better to water the garden before drought really sets in.
• Light watering encourages a shallower root system which makes plants more vulnerable in a drought. So make sure you water your plants thoroughly and less often.
• Watering in the evening will reduce evaporation, conserving water.
• Using organic mulch or gravel can reduce moisture loss from upper layers of soil. This can amount to as much as the equivalent of 2cm of rain.

The RHS has issued more advice on watering which can be found on their website. Visit the RHS website here