“When your soil is rich in organic matter and transforms into loam, it excels at retaining moisture. That, indeed, is the key to proper plant watering. Ideally, your plants should rely less on you for water and more on tapping into the moisture already present in the soil,” shared Monty.
“The golden rule is simple: water the soil, not the plants,” Monty emphasized, clarifying that his sole exceptions are ferns and tree ferns, which thrive in humid conditions. “It’s crucial to hydrate the soil since plants extract the moisture they need through their roots,” he explained.
“If watering is done superficially, roots will surface to seek it, leaving them vulnerable to heat and drought stress,” continued the beloved BBC gardening expert. He pointed out that incorporating organic matter, such as garden compost or even decomposed plant roots, further aids in moisture retention. “In areas of dry shade, your best bet—and the simplest—is to apply a thick layer of mulch,” Monty advised.
Renowned British horticulturalist Monty Don, whose expertise is widely recognized across the UK, found his passion for gardening during his teenage years.
“I was raised in a home that boasted four to five acres of garden space, where my siblings and I were introduced to gardening from a young age. We were assigned various tasks: mowing lawns, weeding strawberry patches, sieving compost, or potting up chrysanthemums,” he recounted to Gardens Illustrated.
“By the time I was about 16 or 17, I was running the vegetable garden and knew what to do. I had learned gardening in the same way that I could chop wood and pluck a chicken – it was a household thing. It took about 10 years for me to realise that I really did love gardening.”
“I’ve always said I’m an amateur gardener,” he mused. “And I mean that, not as a kind of false modesty or anything. I mean it really literally – I garden for love.”