How to Look After your Vegetables in Hot Summers

The summer is a time of great potential for vegetable growing, but it is also a time of great danger - just a quick look at the number of frazzled pots on front porches or withered windowsill herb gardens will tell you all you need to know. 

However, if you manage to avoid the pitfalls, the hot weather and the long days full of sunshine can have your vegetables growing in overdrive. This is the time of the year when the harvests come thick and fast, and you'll be in vegetable growing utopia. To best look after your vegetables, follow our three simple tips:

The number one thing to do is to water regularly to keep your plants happy and hydrated. Containers can dry out really quickly, especially in windy places like balconies, so you may need to be watering them every day. Give each pot a good soak so you know the water is getting down to the plant's roots, and remember - watering in the mornings or evenings is best. 

For an added boost, add some organic fertiliser mix to your watering once a week - this is especially good for vegetables such as tomatoes. 

Some plants can start to struggle when the temperature gets above 30C - if you see any looking a bit scorched, see if you can move them into a shadier location until it cools down a bit. 

Windowsills can be especially bad places as they act as greenhouses, increasing the heat. On top of this, the glass can magnify the suns rays and burn the plants... best keep an eye on your pots and move them out of the direct sunlight if needed.

A double win is to harvest your plants regularly. Harvesting lightens their load, meaning they can use all their resources to grow even more new vegetables, rather than keeping the current ones going - this will lead to healthier plants as well as more vegetables, score!