An expert has given their crucial advice on how to protect your garden during the heatwave.

With temperatures set to soar in Dorset over the weekend and next week, it’s important to protect your garden and its content from the rising temperatures.

The founder of shed manufacturer Power Sheds, Jack Sutcliffe, has shared his five tips for protecting your prized plants, fruit and vegetable patches, and garden furniture.

1. Move all container plants into the shade 

Container plants are the first to dry out in a heatwave, you need to protect them from the sun or they will perish quickly.

2. Do not over water your lawn 

Lawns can become scorched during a heatwave, but there are things you can do to keep it looking thick and green. It will require minimal watering, once a week should do, and your mowing routine should drop to once a week. 

3. Install air vent and use UV-resistant varnish on your summerhouse 

The biggest risk to plants in high temperatures is the soil drying out, your first line of defence against this should be to use a layer of mulch around plants to help the soil stay moist after watering. There are many different mulch materials gardeners can use during a heatwave, dry grass clippings from your lawn are a great option. 

4. Get the right pots for your plants 

An unsealed terracotta pot can cause the water to evaporate a lot easier from the soil which will get the plant to dry and die a lot sooner. The best solution for this is to either get an already sealed terracotta pot or seal it with a specialised sealer. 

5. Water your plants early in the morning

It’s not too late for plants that have wilted or turned brown during the heatwave. Watering them before the day gets extremely hot gives your plants a chance to drink up.