Preparing your garden for the September heat

Ask anyone who keeps a garden on the Costa del Sol: late summer is when gardens are won or lost. The heat peaks, the ground dries to dust, and plants that looked glorious in June can give up within a fortnight if their care routine doesn't change with the season.

The first thing we adjust is watering — and it's about timing as much as quantity. Watering in the heat of the day is money evaporating into the sky, so we shift irrigation to the early morning hours, when water actually reaches the roots. We also check every dripper and sprinkler head; a system that was perfectly balanced in spring can be half-blocked by limescale by August, leaving some plants drowning while their neighbours die of thirst.

Pruning gets lighter and more strategic this time of year. Heavy pruning in peak heat stresses plants, so we focus on removing dead growth and anything blocking airflow, and leave the shaping for autumn. Mulching becomes your garden's best friend — a good layer around beds keeps moisture in the soil and roots noticeably cooler.

Shade matters more than most owners realise. We look at which plants are scorching in the afternoon sun and, where needed, add temporary shade or move pots to kinder spots. Lawns are raised a notch on the mower — slightly longer grass shades its own roots and stays greener with less water.

And then there's the quiet work: checking timers after power cuts (they reset more often than you'd think), watching for the pests that thrive in heat, and making sure the garden still looks loved for anyone arriving for a late-summer holiday.

A garden that enters September in good shape sails through into a beautiful autumn. If yours needs a hand, that's exactly what we're here for.