June in the garden

Pete Harcom looks at how to save water, keep pollinators happy and tackle weeds, without reaching for the sprinkler or scalping your lawn

If you followed the No-Mow-May last month, the weeds in the lawn and the borders will now need attention!
Remove weeds as soon as you spot them, and make sure to dig out the roots. Don’t be too brutal though – daisies can look very attractive in a lawn, and they are a great plant for attracting pollinators as the flowers are full of pollen and nectar.
Maybe think about just mowing a pathway through the lawn and leaving other areas to grow long? This will provide food for pollinators and shelter for other wildlife.
The warm weather and the lack of rain we have had are a rmeinder that we need to evaluate how we’re conserving water. Here are just a few tips for saving water in the garden:

1. Collect rainwater in butts, barrels, old sinks and baths and use it to water plants and top up ponds (making sure that wildlife can get out of any container used to collect water if there’s a chance they can fall in). There are water butts that can be connected to your roof downpipes via a diverter – these are a great way to collect rainwater. Ensure the water butt has a close fitting lid to deter mosquitoes!
2. Water your garden early in the morning or in the evening: this is when evaporation is at its lowest and the plants will benefit most. But be mindful that slugs and snails will also thank you for the evening moisture!
3. Mulch or add bark to your flower beds and veg patches – this really helps to reduce evaporation. Mulching plays a key role in both retaining moisture in the soil and providing nutrients, and will also introduce organic matter to the soil, enhancing its structure and its capacity to hold water.
4. Let your lawn go brown, it helps it to build up resistance – it will spring back to green after it rains! In hotter weather, let the lawn grow a little longer, as it helps keep the moisture in the soil.
5. Try not to use a sprinkler – it can use up to 1,000 litres an hour. Spot watering at the base of plants is much more efficient than spraying large areas: fit a trigger nozzle to your hosepipe to halve water use and direct the water to where you need it.