Apart from moving them, how can I stop pot plants baking on my black slate patio in this heat?

Question

Is there any material I could put underneath them?

Answer 1

i put gravel around the base of my plants (on top of the soil) it seems to keep them moist for longer

Answer 2

You could try newspapers over the black slate - the white would reflect the heat rather than the patio absorbing it and then heating up your pot plants.
Keeping the newspaper wet would probably also help, as the evaporation would cool things down.
The temperature in my Poly-tunnel has risen to nearly 50 degrees earlier this week, and the only way I had of cooling things down was to spray with water - fortunately we do not have a hosepipe ban, but poor you if you do.
Another suggestion is to make a load of ice cubes, and put these on the surface of the soil in your pots, to melt and cool the soil - careful they don't come into contact with the plants, as no one would believe you if you said that they had been frosted this week

Answer 3

Most of the good answers have been given... I would have to agree with raising them off of the pavement.

Any of the big hardware chains sell different rocks and bricks that might work well for this purpose. There are also stands (usually metal or wood) or small 'feet' (ceramic or resin) that go under the pots.

Buy a cheep beach umbrella and put it up. That little bit of shade should help reduce the oven effect of the black pavement. Or, spend the $$$ for a larger shade for over the entire patio. (It might be worth it to make the space more usable in general).

As a final resort, get one of those mist cooling systems. But keeping that running all day might make for a hefty water bill.

Answer 4

You get a dish/bowl/other container, fill it with water and place it close to you pot plant/s. You then get a/some strip/s of (e.g.) old towelling, (most cotton or wool cloths will work but none of your man-made rubbish!) - then one at a time dampen each strip, place one end of it in your bowl of water then drape it over so that the other end of it (cut/tear to suitable length) sits on the soil of the pot you want to keep damp. Cover everything with something (a damp tea-towel for instance) to shield from the sun, and you'll find that CAPILLARY action transfers the moisture from your bowl of water to your plant pots. Sounds daft but it works well enough to save your plants. Enjoy - but of course, keep the water level topped up!

Answer 5

apart from putting compost or rocks around top. Give your plants a good drink by putting them in a shallow bath then tie garbage bags around the entire plant and pot. move them to shade This is what I do in Australia.

Answer 6

Raise them off the ground using stones or bits of broken old pots. Gravel in the base of the pot, under the soil will help with drainage to keep them moist.

Answer 7

Put them all temporarily into trays so they can sit in pools of water that you can easily top up without scorching the leaves. When the heat goes, get rid of the trays.

Can you rig up a shield from the sun?

Alternatively give them all some flip flops, sun lotion and a cocktail and they can shield themselves with the little umbrellas!

Answer 8

I have the same problem so the last few days i have been giving them lots and lots of water and trying to put them in the part of the garden with the best shade. its no harm moving them because they are only going to be there a few days english weather dont last lol!

Answer 9

You could try placing a wet fiborous absorbant mat underneath them which would possibly keep them cool, however I would place a large garden parasol over them at the hottest period to give them some shade.

Answer 10

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