RHS offers advice on drought conditions

The Royal Horticultural Society has offered advice for gardeners after The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), announced that there would be droughts in the southeast of the UK. The society offered expert advice on how to cope with droughts in spring and summer.
Amongst the top tips for dealing with drought was soil cultivation, planting new plants when they are still small, mulching after planting and choosing the right plant to suit garden soil.
Guy Barter, RHS Chief Horticultural Advisor, said: “We have quite a few queries from RHS members concerned about changing climate conditions.
“But there is a lot gardeners can do that does not involve extra watering. For example, spiking and feeding a lawn in spring will help it hold up in dry weather – and if it does go brown, it will recover even faster when rain returns.”
Guy added: “Of course gardeners in north England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the moment don’t normally suffer from bad droughts.
“But by following our suggestions they will not only be following good gardening practice but also will be preparing for the occasional very dry summers. Improving the soil is especially important, as this also helps good drainage too.”