New plants and trees require more watering

Garden and greenhouse enthusiasts have been warned that new plants and trees could require even more watering than usual after it emerged that the UKs soil moisture reserves are falling rapidly.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the dry weather this summer has led to a moisture deficit of four inches.

This means that four inches of rain is required to restore the ground to its full capacity and is a level not usually seen until late July or August.

RHS chief horticultural adviser Guy Barter explained that many vulnerable plants may need extra special care this summer.

"As summer rain is seldom sufficient for newly planted trees and shrubs I would suggest that ones planted in the last two years will need watering every ten days even if there is some rain now, he said.

Mr Barter added that containers should be grouped together in the shade to help prevent them from drying out.

Meanwhile, the RHS has made some upgrades to its website, with a new logo and colour scheme.