British summer time is rubbish, no time to do the gardening!

It’s the time of year that everyone looks forward to…..summer. The British summer has never been the greatest, but the weather this year has left us all wondering if we are going to see much of the sunshine at all. April to June this year has been the wettest second quarter in the UK since records began and if the beginning of July is anything to go by, it is likely to continue. What does mean for our precious gardens? You've spent weeks choosing flowers, planting seeds, weeding and pruning, only for your garden to be submerged in water.  Or you've been putting off tackling the weeds and those overgrown bushes and now because of all the rain, your garden has turned into a jungle!

Like many people you may have purchased brand new garden furniture and instead of lounging in your new sun loungers or dining alfresco, you’re watching it get soaked through the dining room window. What do you do? Wait out the rain, or brave it?  Either way, here are a few tips to keep your garden in shape.

Brave the rain

• Pull up dandelions and thistles while the soil is wet, this way you stand a good chance of getting the root out in one piece.
• Rescue waterlogged pots, as potted plants can die if the compost becomes saturated. Rescue pots by removing trays from under them.
• Re-sow if necessary, as they may have rotted due to wet soils. Re-sow leafy and root crops when it gets a bit warmer, as they will still do their stuff this year.
• Get some wet weather clothes, walking jackets and trousers that are waterproof yet breathable work well.
• Plan a garden path, make this the last year you squelch your shed by putting in hard landscaped paths or steps, stepping stones, a gravel path or maybe something more ambitious.
• Make a list of which flowers do well after heavy rain? Start preparing for when the weather takes a turn for the better.

After the storm

• Remove rain-damaged or faded flowers. Not only will this make plants and your garden look better, it also encourages more flowers to grow.
• Pesky slugs and snails come out at night, protect young plants and seedlings from them.
• Weeds are thriving so pull them up before they set seed.
• Keep off the lawn as much as possible when the ground is sodden. You can make repairs in early autumn.
• If you experience flooding due to rivers bursting their banks, or broken drains releasing diluted sewage into the garden, this is potentially serious. Any crops covered in flood water should not be eaten.
• Don’t forget to store your gardening equipment and furniture in a waterproof shed, to stop your gardening equipment and furniture from going rusty or rotten. Check that your shed is free from leeks, this is especially important for electric gardening tools such as lawn mowers.

When the weather is as stormy as it has recently been, having a tough weatherproof shed or storage unit is important. For the best in weatherproof garden storage visit Asgard Secure Steel Storage.

Information from the Telegraph