Gardening in a heatwave

by Debbie, Le Jardin des Espiemonts
 

 The heatwave we're enjoying (or, for those who don't like it hot, suffering) looks set to continue, so here's a few simple tips for caring for your garden during the canicule.

Most importantly, do your watering first thing in the morning, before it gets hot, or last thing at night, when the heat has gone from the sun. Watering during the day damages plants as the water on the leaves magnifies the heat of the sun, resulting in scorching. If any plants are wilting so badly you absolutely have to water them during the day, be careful to water the base of the plant, irrigating the soil rather than pouring water onto the plant from above.

In the potager, shallow, surface rooting plants like lettuce and tomatoes will wilt quickly and will require more watering, while deeper rooting vegetables like carrots, parsnips and potatoes will be able to reach water from deeper in the ground. During the process of  forming fruits, plants require plenty of water,  so be sure to give your summer produce plants a good soaking. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, summer squashes etc will all be much more productive if watered sufficiently.

 
Add organic matter into the soil to improve its condition and increase its moisture-holding capacities. Also top it with mulch. Adding a bulky, organic mulch of 2 or 3cm onto the surface of the soil will help retain water.                      
Eliminate weeds so they're not competing with your plants for water. It's a sad fact of life that dandelions and thistles are more vigorous than your prize Begonias. Don't disrupt the soil unduly with lots of digging and forking over though, as this increases water loss from the surface of the soil.
Excessive planting at this time of year is, of course, not advisable, and is best left until autumn or spring (though if you do put in the odd new plant, just make sure you water it well each day). Now, however, is a good time to plan ahead and view the beautiful range of summer flowering plants available if you're planning new planting schemes in the near future. It's important to choose plants that will cope with the climate here in South West France. Don't assume that because a plant worked well in your garden in England it will be ok over here, as both the winters and the summers are more extreme.
Silver foliaged plants, such as Achilleas, Artemisia, Cistus, Dianthus, Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme, will thrive in full sun, as these coloured leaves absorb less heat and they also produce an oily film on their leaves that both acts as a sunscreen and seals in water. 
Succulents such as Crassula, Delosperma, Sedums and Sempervivums will also cope very well with extended hot temperatures, as they store water in their leaves.

Plants like Acanthus, Euphorbia, Poppies and Verbascum that develop long tap roots can cope with periods of draught as their roots access water deeper down in the ground and, logically, you'll also do well with plants that are native to hot countries - think Agapanthus, Guara, Kniphofia  and Salvia.

Lawnmowing slows down and even ceases during very hot summers as the grass dries out. To extend the greenery as long as possible though, raise the blades on your lawnmower as the temperatures rise, as this is less stressful for the grass. Don't worry too much about your grass going brown though - in this heat, this is inevitable, but grass is very resilient, and it will grow back.

If you want to avoid large areas of parched grass, you could consider a gravel garden. This is a good year-round option as the stones act as a moisture-conserving mulch in the summer and also improve drainage in the winter. 

Any gardening work is, of course, best done during the cool morning hours, with hats, sunglasses and suncream letting you work safely. To get the best out of your garden during this hot spell, however, sit in the shade of a favourite tree, with a cold drink and a good book, and cool off with regular dips in the pool!