Long spells of hot, dry weather can be difficult for both plants and gardeners.
Pots seem to dry out the moment you turn your back, newly planted vegetables start to wilt, and you can spend half the evening trudging around with a watering can.
The good news is there are a few simple ways to help your plants cope.
Wool pellets can be particularly useful during dry weather. They hold onto water and slowly release it back into the soil as it dries.
They will not make your plants drought-proof — really, nothing will — but they can help each watering last for longer.
Why Plants Struggle In A Drought
Plants lose water through their leaves, and this happens more quickly when the weather is hot or windy.
Pots and hanging baskets are usually the first to suffer because they only contain a limited amount of compost. Raised beds can also dry out surprisingly quickly, especially if they have very good drainage.
New plants are particularly vulnerable because their roots have not yet grown deeply into the soil.
Once soil becomes completely dry, it can be difficult to wet again. Water may simply run off the surface or escape down the sides of a pot.
It is much easier to keep moisture in the soil before this happens.
How Wool Pellets Help
Wool fibres naturally absorb water.
When wool pellets are watered, they swell and hold moisture in the soil. As the surrounding compost begins to dry, that moisture is slowly released again.
This can help:
- keep compost moist for longer
- reduce how often pots need watering
- support plants during hot and windy weather
- improve the water-holding ability of free-draining soil
- slowly feed the soil as the wool breaks down
Our wool pellets are made on our family farm in Orkney from 100% British sheep wool, with nothing added.
Just natural sheep wool, turned into something useful for your garden.
How To Use Wool Pellets In Pots
For new pots and containers, mix around 100g of wool pellets with 4 litres of compost.
Spread them through the compost rather than tipping them all into one spot. The pellets expand when they get wet, so leave a little room at the top of the pot.
Plant as normal and give everything a good drink.
For an established pot, make several narrow holes around the plant, being careful not to damage the main roots. Divide the pellets between the holes, cover them with compost and water well.
Always make sure the drainage holes are clear. Holding onto moisture is helpful; sitting in a swamp is not.
How To Use Them In Raised Beds And Borders
For beds and borders, 1kg of pellets covers approximately 2.5m².
Scatter them evenly around the plants and lightly mix them into the top of the soil before watering.
You can also cover the damp soil with a mulch such as compost, bark chips or leaf mould. The wool helps hold moisture within the soil, while the mulch protects the surface from sun and wind.
Together, they can make quite a difference during a dry summer.
Give Plants A Proper Drink
A tiny splash every day may wet the surface, but it does not always reach the roots.
Try watering more deeply and less often. This encourages roots to grow down into the soil, where conditions are cooler and moisture lasts for longer.
Early morning or late evening is usually the best time. Less water is lost to evaporation, and the plants have moisture available before the heat of the day.
Decide Which Plants Need Help First
During a drought, concentrate on the plants that are most likely to struggle:
- seedlings and young plants
- newly planted trees and shrubs
- pots, hanging baskets and window boxes
- tomatoes, courgettes and runner beans
- plants in sunny or windy positions
Established plants growing in the ground may cope better than they first appear. You could always check below the surface before watering, rather than assuming every plant needs the same amount.
Help Pots Stay Cooler
Grouping containers together creates a little shade and shelters them from the wind.
You can also move smaller pots out of the afternoon sun during a heatwave. Even a few hours of shade can slow down water loss.
Terracotta pots dry out particularly quickly, so keep an extra eye on those.
A Quick Word On Expectations
Wool pellets help soil retain water, but plants will still need checking and watering.
How often depends on the weather, the size of the pot, the type of soil and what you are growing.
A small pot of tomatoes in full sun will always need more attention than an established lavender plant in the ground.
There is no one watering timetable that suits every garden.
Final Thoughts
During a drought, the aim is to make the most of every drop of water.
Deep watering, a good layer of mulch, a little shade and improved soil can all help.
Adding wool pellets gives the soil an extra way to hold onto moisture, while slowly adding nutrients as the wool breaks down.
It can mean less time carrying watering cans and more time enjoying the garden — which sounds much better to us.
Our Garden Wool Pellets are made on our family farm from 100% British sheep wool.
They help retain moisture, slowly feed the soil and protect plants from slugs and snails naturally.