Our head of organic horticulture shares his tips for saving water and watering well during the hot, dry weather.

Alternative text should describe the visual content of the image. — The warm temperatures has allowed flea beetle to ravage the leaves of brassicas and nasturtiums

There’s one central subject on most gardeners’ minds now and that has been the harshness of this summer’s weather. For me, here in the south, it’s been the driest season of my 42-year career. The land looks scorched and there has been no significant rainfall for three months now, throwing up multiple challenges for the gardener.

At the time of writing, seven areas of England are now officially in drought after record-low rainfall and exceptionally high temperatures. England and Wales received only 4% of their normal July rainfall, and Scotland – while the least dry nation - reached only 41% of its average.

So, what does this mean for our growing spaces? It has been a difficult year on my allotment, with harvests well below average. Brassicas seem especially unhappy in the heat, while flea beetles have thrived in the hot, dry conditions. Tomatoes, which you might expect to love a hot summer, have also struggled, with many failing to ripen in the extreme heat (see Anton’s blog on how crops respond to heat - link here). Trees also seem to be calling time on 2026, with many already showing signs of colour change.

Ways to water your garden during dry weather 🔗

So, what can we do? Irrigation may seem the obvious answer, but when water butts run dry and time is short, it becomes a matter of prioritising the plants that need attention most and letting other areas wait.

You can also try some of these watering tricks:

Concentrate your watering on the plants that need the most. The grass went to sleep weeks ago, leaving our parks and lawns like straw - but please don’t be tempted to water it! Turf can be left until the rains come – and it will waste no time in coming back to life.
Apply water early in the morning or at the end of the day, maximizing your impact.
Water directly to the base of the plant and the roots, allowing for less wastage.
Traditionally, it would be a good idea to apply a layer of mulch but in such dry conditions it can be better to allow any rain that comes to be absorbed directly. I would probably only mulch high value plants such as newly planted shrubs. If applying, make a ridge of compost at the edge of the plants crown and then curve it towards the base of the plant. This allows for puddling – water gathers within the ridge and soaks away slowly.
Water deeply. This will encourage plants to root downwards and not bring roots up to the soil surface, where they’re more vulnerable.
Green manures are also an excellent idea for any bare earth that may be appearing. My plant of choice is mustard which requires little watering once germinated and will protect the soil, and feed it at a later date.

Plant swaps 🔗

As these dry hot summers are becoming more frequent, it’s also worth considering the types of plants we choose to grow. Here’s some ideas:

Some of the best gardens I’ve seen this summer have been ones that can tolerate arid conditions with a mixture of prairie-style grasses, woody herbs and perennial plants such as sedums, coneflowers and verbena.
When it comes to food plants, I’ve switched to edibles that are less prone to bolting such as Indian mustards and mazama.
Spring cabbages, kale and even beets can be sown now in trays – and will hopefully benefit from being planted when the weather starts to cool.
Wild plants and weeds don’t seem to mind the heat so incorporate more of these in your planting! The wildlife will love you for it.

Happy gardening, Chris Collins