Gardeners urged to do 1 job this weekend - 3 at-risk areas in England

A gardening expert has urged UK households to complete one garden job this weekend, and it's because of the particularly harsh weather conditions we are experiencing this year. The UK had a number of heatwaves this summer, and the Met Office has reported that it has broken records. Meanwhile, conditions have taken a turn in recent weeks, and we have seen a lot more rainfall, with even more expected in the near future. This leads to interesting conditions in gardens, one expert has warned.

For those wanting to protect their gardens with this drastic change in weather, it is important to complete the job this weekend, an expert has advised. Gardening expert Liam Cleary from outdoor furniture retailer Old Railway Line Garden Centre has given his top tip for gardeners, pointing out a vital job that should be completed as the weather takes a drastic turn from the sunny and dry weather we experienced over the summer months.

He says that it's important for gardeners to aerate their outdoor space. He says that this reduces the risk of waterlogging during heavy rainfall.

"Aerating the soil in your garden helps water drainage by loosening compacted soil, allows more oxygen to reach roots and prevent rot and improves microbial activity, keeping your lawn greener and healthier in the long run," he revealed. "You can aerate the soil by simply spiking the ground with a garden fork or using a hollow tine aerator, which removes plugs of soil, allowing more oxygen to reach the roots.

"This job should only need to be done periodically every few years as long as the waterlogging in your garden isn't too severe. You should also wait until the ground is relatively dry before doing this to give the roots the longest amount of time to breathe."

He added: "With summers getting drier, drought-resistant plants like Mediterranean varieties are becoming more common, but some plants optimised for very dry environments may face the opposite challenges in wetter autumns.

"For those who experience surface water or waterlogging in their gardens, try a variety of partly tolerant plants that can withstand the fluctuation between wet and dry conditions, such as Daylilies, Japanese Iris and Astible."

The Met Office predicts cold weather and heavy downpours in September. Meanwhile, the latest weather maps show temperatures dropping as low as 0C after a blast of warm weather.