Achillea are probably the least drought tolerant of all my drought tolerant plants here, they do like a good drink. I water all plants at the roots, but find Achillea also benefits from a soft overhead spray on the foliage to keep it perky. An evening spray is best or very early morning, never when it’s sunny, otherwise the fine ferny foliage fries.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Wildlifelover Anything that you have to plant in such dry conditions will benefit from being plunged in a bucket of water to cover the compost. When the air bubbles have gone[can be ten mins to half an hour] water the actual hole and plant. No need to water the surface. This will encourage the roots downwards.
This is standard planting procedure for me, once that root ball has dried out it's hard to get water into it any other way
I was at the local GC last week, it was hot. The staff were watering non stop. I picked up a couple of plants that had been watered as the leaves were wet. A quick touch of the compost told me there was some dampness but that the roots were still dry.
Looking forward to my new garden with clay soil here in South Notts.
I was at the local GC last week, it was hot. The staff were watering non stop. I picked up a couple of plants that had been watered as the leaves were wet. A quick touch of the compost told me there was some dampness but that the roots were still dry.
My experience is it's pretty much impossible to accidentally overwater on free-draining soil. Maybe if you left a hose pouring water on the same spot for several hours that would do it.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Thanks for all the input, I’ve a lot to learn! After I gave it a water earlier, it has perked up and now it’s chucking it down so hopefully it will be ok from now on.
The reason a lot of plants can cope with dry conditions is because they have roots that go deep ....... but we have to give them a chance to get their roots down there in the first place
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
@Wildlifelover Just one last thought never assume that rain is a reason not to water it doesn't always find it way down into the roots, especially at this time of year. Enjoy your lovely plants.
Looking forward to my new garden with clay soil here in South Notts.
As I’m still learning, how do you know when you’ve given a plant enough water? Is it measured by litres, the amount of time pointing a hose - i think if I understood this better, some of my failures in the past may not have happened.
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In the sticks near Peterborough
Gardening is so exciting I wet my plants.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening is so exciting I wet my plants.
Thanks.