Gardening expert shares what to do with your plants in ‘extreme weather’ as storms move in

Gardening expert shares what to do with your plants in ‘extreme weather’ as storms move in

06/16/2021

Gardening: Expert gives advice on caring for plants in a heatwave

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Most areas of the UK have experienced hot, sunny weather over the last week after months of rain, wind and snow. But it seems the weather looks set to change across the country tonight. Many areas of the country will be hit by torrential rain, hail and thunderstorms over the next few days.

If you’re worried about how your plants will fare over the next few days, Patch Plants expert Alice Vincent has shared her tips on what to do.

On Monday, parts of the UK experienced 30C (86F) heat on the hottest day of the year so far.

However, Alice said in a video for Patch plants in 2019 that heatwaves aren’t always “great for your plants”.

She explained: “You might think that a heatwave could be great for your plants and for some of them it will be.

“But it’s still really important to check what’s going on with the soil as in containers your plants can dry out really, really quickly.

“You might find you need to water them a couple of times a day.

“Remember you can move your containers around in cases of extreme weather too

“So those shade-lovers can really be put into somewhere shady when it gets very hot.”

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With thunderstorms imminent, some areas will experience wind as well as rain.

For storms, Alice said the best thing to do is simply “batten down the hatches”.

She explained: “As for storms, plants are a bit like the rest of us, you’ve just got to batten down the hatches and hope for the best.

“But there are some things you can do.

“For a start, move your pots and plants to the path of your urban garden which is most sheltered.

“If your urban garden is on a roof terrace or a balcony that’s quite high up then you’re going to be even more exposed to wind.”

Alice said if you are exposed to a lot of wind then you can make sure you choose plants that are hardiest and most suitable for wind.

She added: “Ultimately, with extreme weather trust that your plants are probably tougher than they look and every time you’ll learn better how to look after them.”

For extreme cold weather, Alice recommends making sure your container plants are in the right pots.

Plain terracotta pots can crack if they become too cold.

Instead, put your hardier plants in glazed terracotta pods which will put up with the cold better.

Plastic, stone or fibreglass pots are also a good option.

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