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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

into the compost? The answer is partly to do with unclean water, such as that from a water butt. By the time rain has washed over the roof, along the guttering and down the drainpipe, and then sat gently festering in the butt, it has often accumulated and ‘brewed

. Wind can scorch leaves as well as sun (and we’ve certainly had plenty of wind in Hampshire). Heavy rain and hail will also damage plants, peppering leaves and flowers with tiny shot marks.To make matters worse, water droplets on foliage can magnify

failed again).The temperature has been so high during the day that I’ve had to remove the lids from two propagators, to prevent them from ‘boiling’ the seedlings. I keep a couple of watering cans close by, as the plants are guzzling water

and persistent winds.On Monday a full-sized water butt broke free from one of the greenhouses, spilled what water it contained and then right down the hill and ended up by the front door; trees and shrubs have literally had their leaves torn from the stems; less

the loss of water vapour from the plant itself. But, when plants are bombarded by strong gusts of wind, these pockets of moisture are blown away. This in turn causes further moisture loss from the stomata. A vicious circle…I have been watering plants

that gunge. I either blast out the accumulated stuff between the panes with a strong jet of water or push it clear with a thin sliver of plastic from an old yoghurt tub...But why is it that however I try to do it, when I do need extra water, the ice

Where have all the flowers gone? Why did it have to happen now? Just as I had been lulled in to a false sense of security the heavens opened again. There's been enough rain to fill all of my water butts several times over and the ground is now a

refreezes, another layer can settle on top.I've also tried to ensure that the wild birds have a plentiful supply of food and unfrozen water.My garlic is a worry, especially those cloves that were planted only a few weeks before the snow arrived. Some have

was rather amused to find me wearing a very large woolly jumper, two chunky scarves and a hot water bottle strapped around my middle (I've been suffering from an extremely sore lower back, as well as from the cold, and this really does help to relieve