A little thread about #watering #containers and #flowerpots when it is scorchio. Based on 20 years of looking after plants in pots. First of all - don’t panic and start chucking water around! Stick your finger deep into the pot and if it feels damp do not add water...

...even if your plants are wilting. This bank of pots is looking a bit sorry for itself even tho I watered well night before last. The compost is still damp even tho the surface may look dry. They’re wilting because the sun is fierce but as soon as shade comes round...

They will start to perk up. If any of them still look sad I will add a little water once they are in full shade. I will not drench them while the sun is on them or while temps are high because I will end up with boiled root soup.

When it’s so hot a lot of plants will close their stomata (pores) & water will no longer be drawn rapidly out of the growing medium. You risk drowning the roots by adding lots of water. It’ll be especially bad if the pot is on its own with the sun hitting its sides & cooking

...the roots. If you only have a few pots and are worried about this it may be worth moving them to shade or even rigging up a parasol. Just don’t try to cool them by pouring on H2O!

In some parts of my yard I have big leafy plants like dahlias & the sun will hit them later. In that case I have added a LITTLE water so they can be ready for the onslaught but only a little. Having pots in these dense groups also provides shade for roots on days like this

Grouping provides shade, keeps humidity relatively high and goes some way towards moderating temperature fluctuation. My groups are v dense because a) I’m a plantaholic b) I like the way it looks and c) we need to get the car in. But looser groups work too.