In most years I usually plant some of the more tender veg crops, such as courgette and squash, by late April. If I had done so this year, the plants would be dead by now [...]
In most years I usually plant some of the more tender veg crops, such as courgette and squash, by late April. If I had done so this year, the plants would be dead by now, as May was so unusually cold. (And I don't even think the chunky bell cloches that I use would have been much help.)
So, I planted them later than usual, and then, last week, they were suddenly subjected to a heat wave! To compensate for this dramatic change in weather I drenched the soil around the plants' roots as often as possible, and applied mulches. I provided them with temporary shade using some leftover pea sticks.
In addition to early-evening watering I also did a fair amount of emergency midday watering, too. When my gorgeous potted osteospermum started to wilt, I couldn't ignore it, could I?
I've continued to sow seeds, although keeping the soil moist is so tricky when it gets very hot. I wonder if the seeds will germinate. To help them along I've created slightly deeper seed drills than usual, each with a drizzle of compost in the base, then watered thoroughly. I've then covered the seeds with a layer of moist soil, and finally a layer of dry soil to seal in the moisture. Hopefully this will result in some decent seedlings!
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