PLANT CARE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS

Summers in northern Europe offer pleasant temperatures and long, light days, which are perfect for most plants. Their needs in the summer are much the same as ours: hydration and keeping out of strong sunlight. Without protection of some kind, most plant species will get sunburnt.

Who hasn’t overdone it after the long winter months and ended up with sunburn? When a plant gets sunburn, it can be weeks before the damage becomes visible in the form of brown and yellowish patches on the leaves. Don’t despair though, because the plant usually puts out new leaves, though it may take a few weeks.

Your plants need to acclimatize to sunlight. So, if you want to move plants you’ve overwintered in a dark corner of your home out onto the balcony, they’ll need some time to get used to the new conditions. And give them just a little water now and again. (See Putting plants outdoors for more information.)

The same principle applies indoors. If you’re moving plants from a fairly dark corner to a window in full sunlight, start by leaving them in half shade near the window for two weeks, before putting them directly in the window. If you do put plants in the window, you can use a sheer curtain to provide some half shade.

HANDY HINT

Are you unsure whether a windowsill might be too hot for your plants in the summer? Try putting your hand on the window in the middle of the day. If it feels too hot for you, then it will be too hot for your plants as well.