Add water-retaining gel to the compost in pots and containers as you plant, to keep your plants healthy and give you a well-earned rest from the endless trips with the watering can.
Packing your pots with summer bedding, tender exotics and lusciously tasty veg is one of the real treats of this time of year, and you'll find a wonderful selection on sale right now in our garden centre here in Hereford so pop over for a little inspiration today.
But containers are not a low maintenance option, and the biggest chore is daily watering – twice daily in a good summer. Hanging baskets are even more difficult to keep damp, and plants can really suffer in dry compost if it's hot.
So give yourself a helping hand by adding water-retaining gel to the compost when you're planting up. We sell them as granules which are easily mixed with the dry compost before you plant. When you water, they simply soak up excess moisture and hold it within the compost where it can't evaporate. Then as the soil starts drying out again, the granules release the water for your plants to use, extending the time your compost stays damp by up to 90%.
