There's no hiding from it; the heat is here, and it's a lot. And whilst you might be keeping up with your watering routine out in the garden, the intense temperatures will start posing more risks than you might realise.
Even when you've worked hard to create a drought-tolerant garden, your plants will need a little more attention when the hot weather hits. And with temperatures surpassing the 30-degree mark, you'll no doubt be panicking trying to help your plants recover from sunburn and scorching.
However, before you run for your watering can or hose to water your garden plants properly, garden writer Simon Akeroyd (@simonakeroydgardenwriter on Instagram)has highlighted the risk of stationary water containers and how they can damage both your plants and you.
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Outdoor plants don't need to be watered every day during a heatwave, so your harvested rainwater can sit in the sun for quite some time before it's used. This can be quite the silent danger with the heat being as intense as it is.
"Beware of scalding hot water left in your hose pipe if left out in the sun. If left out in the sun, the residual water in your hose could burn your plants, pets, children and you," starts Simon.
"Instead, run the hose first to allow the scolding water out. Also, be careful with boiling water left in your watering cans in the sun. Please be careful of burns when watering in extreme heat," he adds.
Whether you've completely rainscaped your garden or have a humble water butt attached to your gutter, you'll need to proceed with caution when collecting and using water sitting in these dispensers.
Buying lighter colours watering cans and making sure your hoses are always stored in the shade are efficient precautions that will ensure any residual water isn't reaching a dangerous temperature.
You can also use some more garden shade ideas, which will not only protect you and your plants, but also the essential gardening tools you use every day over summer.
Although it's incredibly important to be made aware of these possible summertime dangers, prioritising prevention is the key. Shadescaping your garden so intense heatwaves don't have such a negative effect will make your life much easier and keep you and your plants safe.
