Why UK Gardeners Should Put Umbrellas Over Plants This Week

Oh look – we’ve found ourselves in yet another scorching heatwave. In fact, conditions are so intense that parts of the UK will be affected by an amber heat health warning ’til Sunday, 12 July. 

It means keen gardeners will have to work harder to protect their plants from the heat.

If you’re looking for novel anti-scorching methods, some experts think a humble umbrella could help struggling greenery in a heatwave. 

Why should I put an umbrella over my plants? 

To prevent scorching, shrivelling, and even death, some plants need shade on especially sunny days, like those predicted in parts of the UK this weekend.

That includes potted plants and garden beds.

But while you can simply move small potted plants to a shadier spot if you want to (we’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how and when to do this), those growing from the ground, or in larger containers, are harder to protect from the sun.

One answer, The Guardian shared, is covering vulnerable growth with a beach umbrella. This provides a “temporary shade structure,” which the publication added can also be bought online or fashioned from cloth and tomato stakes.

They’re not alone. Speaking to Ideal Home, Maryam Ghani, a brand manager at Haute Florist, said that for sensitive potted plants you can’t or don’t want to move, “you could build a DIY cover to shade the plants from direct sun, using old bed sheets or an umbrella”. 

Which plants need extra care in a heatwave? 

Those which can struggle in higher temperatures include: 

These may need shade or watering in hot weather, but some, like crocosmia, will survive scorched leaves without significant or lasting damage.

Temporary shade is best for potted plants, younger plants, and plants in raised beds.

What should I do if my garden keeps suffering heat damage?

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) said that if your plants keep getting burnt by heatwaves, the answer might be to change your growing tactics completely.

Leigh Hunt, the RHS’ Principal Horticultural Advisor, stated: “As temperatures become more extreme don’t replace like for like – if a plant is struggling in your garden you can plant something better suited to the space.

“Dry gardens don’t have to mean gravel gardens, you can keep an English-style garden by swapping plants, for example exchange rhododendrons for grevillea.”

And remember: even if your grass looks yellow or brown after a sunny spell, you probably don’t need to water it as it’ll recover.