The recent spell of very hot weather has been challenging
for us humans and for our garden wildlife. Keeping the garden watered can be
difficult and as water butts run dry, watering wisely is important. Established
plants in your borders only need watering if they are showing signs of stress -
drooping leaves, for example. Mulching borders with organic matter can help to
improve moisture retention in the soil, reducing the need for watering.
If you have containers or baskets, these will likely need
regular watering. Filling the containers with plants and grouping them together
may reduce the watering requirement. Once again, mulching, perhaps with some
horticultural grit, will reduce moisture loss.
The time of day you water your plants is also important.
Early morning is the best time as evaporation will be minimised. It is also a
lovely time to get outside into the garden, before the heat of the day has you
beating a hasty retreat back inside!
Along with your plants, visitors to your garden will also
appreciate access to a good supply of fresh water. A bird bath is a good idea,
but even a shallow saucer can be an ideal place to put some fresh water for
your garden visitors. Remember to place some pebbles, stones or sticks in the
water so that insects and others can find their way back out if they take an
inadvertent bath! Water should be ideally refreshed daily.
If you have a wildlife pond you may find it acting like a
Serengeti watering hole at this time of year! You may need to top up your pond
a little during dry spells. Ideally this should be done with harvested
rainwater. If you do have to use tap water, try and leave it to stand for 24
hours before adding it to your pond.
Providing shady spots, such as a log pile, longer grasses, trees,
shrubs or hedging can also help give refuge to overheated creatures. Hiding an
upturned terracotta pot amongst your borders may give welcome relief from the
glare of the sun to amphibians or insects.
You may notice that the birds are quieter this month. As
they finish the hectic job of raising their chicks, they will start to moult
and gain new feathers. This process can make them vulnerable to predators, so
they will quieten down to avoid detection. It could also be that they are
really tired after the responsibilities of the past few months!
If the weather allows, sitting in the shade in your
wildlife-friendly garden, listening to the bees or perhaps counting the
butterflies for the Big Butterfly Count (17 July – 19 August) is a worthy
reward for your efforts to work with nature. Just remember the sunscreen!
