Summer Gardening Tips: How to Keep Your Garden Thriving All Season
t through the heat takes a little know-how. Here's everything you need to get the most from your outdoor space this season.
Watering Wisely: The Summer Garden's Biggest Challenge
Summer heat can be punishing for plants, and one of the most common mistakes gardeners make is irregular watering. The key is consistency — and timing. Water in the early morning or early evening, when temperatures are lower. This reduces evaporation and ensures moisture reaches the roots rather than evaporating off warm soil.
Deep, infrequent watering is far more effective than a daily light sprinkle. A thorough soak two or three times a week encourages roots to grow downward, making plants more resilient in dry spells. Shallow watering does the opposite — roots stay near the surface and become vulnerable the moment conditions heat up.
Expert Tip
Push your finger 2–3cm into the soil before watering. If it feels moist, hold off for another day. If it's dry, it's time to water. This simple check prevents both under- and over-watering.
Investing in the right watering equipment makes a real difference. A quality garden watering range — from adjustable hoses to long-reach watering cans — takes the effort out of the job and helps you water accurately at the base of plants.
"Deep roots make for resilient plants. Water less often, but always water well."
Feeding Your Plants Through Summer
Plants growing in containers and hanging baskets use up nutrients quickly — often within six to eight weeks of potting. By midsummer, the compost in your pots will be largely depleted, and without regular feeding, growth stalls and flowers fade.
For flowering plants, choose a liquid feed that is higher in potassium (often labelled as a tomato feed). This supports flower production rather than leafy green growth. Apply every one to two weeks throughout the growing season. For foliage plants and vegetables, a balanced general-purpose feed works well.
What to Feed and When
- Hanging baskets and patio containers - liquid feed weekly from June onwards
- Roses - feed after the first flush of flowers to encourage a second bloom
- Tomatoes and courgettes - high-potassium feed once flowering begins
- Lawns - apply a summer lawn feed to support green, healthy growth in dry weather
- Established border plants - a light mulch of compost maintains soil health without heavy feeding
Browse our plant food and feeds collection to find the right product for every corner of your garden.
| Doff Seaweed Advance Multi-purpose Plant Food Flower Vegetable Feed 1L | |
| Product ID: 24790 |
| Doff Liquid Seaweed Concentrate Extra Fill 1.2L | |
| Product ID: 25275 |
| Doff Azalea Camellia Rhododendron Fertiliser 1.2ltr 20% Extra Free | |
| Product ID: 24525 |
Making the Most of Containers and Hanging Baskets
Containers and hanging baskets bring colour and life to any outdoor space — whether you have a sprawling garden, a small courtyard, or a modest balcony. In summer, they're at their most spectacular, but they do need a little extra care.
Check hanging baskets every day in warm weather. The compost dries out surprisingly quickly when temperatures climb and baskets are exposed to wind. On the hottest days, you may need to water twice. A good rule of thumb: lift the basket slightly — if it feels light, it needs a drink.
Deadheading is equally important. Removing spent flowers regularly encourages the plant to produce new blooms rather than setting seed. It takes only a few minutes, but it keeps baskets and pots looking their best for weeks longer.
Did You Know?
Mixing slow-release fertiliser granules into your compost at planting time means your containers will have a steady supply of nutrients for up to six months — reducing the need for frequent liquid feeds.
For inspiration on getting started, explore our full range of planters, pots and hanging baskets.
Summer Lawn Care: Keeping the Green, Green Grass
A lawn under summer pressure can quickly go from lush and green to patchy and brown — but a few straightforward habits keep it looking well all season.
Raise your mower blades during hot spells. Longer grass shades the soil, retaining moisture and reducing the risk of drought stress. Cutting too short in summer is one of the most common causes of a scorched, unhappy lawn. Aim for a height of around 4–5cm rather than the close trim you might prefer in spring.
Avoid mowing when the grass is under drought stress - wait until it has recovered, either from rainfall or a good watering. If your lawn does turn yellow in a dry patch, don't panic. British lawn grasses are remarkably resilient and will green up again once rain returns.
Summer Lawn Checklist
- Raise mower height to 4–5cm in hot or dry weather
- Water deeply once or twice a week rather than little and often
- Apply a summer lawn feed in early June for sustained green growth
- Deal with weeds as they appear before they set seed
- Repair bare patches in late summer, ahead of the autumn growing season
Find everything you need to keep your lawn in great shape in our lawn care range.
What to Plant in Summer
It's easy to think that the planting season is largely over by summer, but there's plenty still to get in the ground. Many fast-growing flowers and vegetables thrive when planted in June and July, giving you colour and harvests well into autumn.
Flowers
Sow or plant out hardy annuals like sunflowers, nasturtiums, and zinnias in early summer for late-season colour. Bedding plants — petunias, marigolds, and begonias — can be planted into containers and borders right through June. If you spot any gaps in your borders, late-flowering perennials like echinacea and rudbeckia are excellent choices to fill them.
Vegetables
June is the last chance to sow French beans, courgettes, and runner beans directly outdoors. It's also a good time to plant out kale and leek seedlings for autumn and winter harvests. Salad leaves and radishes can be sown successionally every two to three weeks for a continuous supply through the season.
"A little and often is the secret to a productive kitchen garden. Small sowings every few weeks keep fresh produce coming right through to autumn."
Keeping On Top of Weeds and Pests
Warm, moist conditions are ideal for weeds — and summer is when they can get ahead of you if you're not careful. Little and often is the most effective approach: a quick hoe through the borders every week or so, when the soil is dry, stops weeds in their tracks before they have a chance to establish or set seed.
Mulching is one of the best investments you can make in the garden. A 5–7cm layer of bark mulch or compost around your plants not only suppresses weeds but also retains moisture in the soil — reducing your watering burden on hot days.
On the pest front, keep an eye out for aphids on new growth and slugs around hostas and soft-leaved plants. Natural methods — such as encouraging birds and hedgehogs into the garden — offer long-term support. For targeted treatment, our garden pest control range includes options to suit every approach, from physical barriers to wildlife-friendly treatments.
| Slug And Snail Killer Pellets 300g | |
| Product ID: 2636 |
| Doff Ant Killer Powder 400G | |
| Product ID: 2317 |
| Weedol Ready to Use Rapid Path & Gravel Weed Control 1L | |
| Product ID: 25282 |