Gardening in a drought

Hearing in the news this week that we are in the middle of a drought crisis, I was pleased to find information from the RHS about gardening in drought conditions.  Care for the environment is a key component of the It's Your Neighbourhood assessment (and something we should all be thinking about anyway to make the best of our gardens whilst using as little water as possible.)

1. Soil cultivation is of key importance. Gardeners should dig in large amounts of garden compost, manure or other organic matter. This will help improve soil structure and in turn will help water retention and water availability to plants.
   
2. Plant new plants when they are still small. They will then develop much greater resilience by adapting to their conditions from a young age. Planting in autumn or as early as possible in spring could also be beneficial: the sooner roots can start exploring the soil for water before dry weather arrives, the better.
   
3. Mulching after planting can help limit water loss from soil. This will help the retention of moisture while plants establish. All new plants should be thoroughly watered and kept watered in the first season in dry periods, to ensure they establish well. Once established they will become more drought tolerant.
   
4. Choose the right plant for a particular garden soil. If a plant is growing in the soil most suited to its needs it will be more tolerant of varying climatic conditions. It will also be more resistant to pests and disease. RHS Plant Finder is an ideal tool for gardeners wanting to select plants suitable for their local soil conditions, and also for the particular aspect where the plants will grow.

For the full article see here