February is usually our hottest and driest month, and is often the garden's most productive time. Combined, these factors put plants under much more stress than other times of the year. So watering and mulching are top priorities to keep your plants healthy and strong and less susceptible to pests and diseases.

When it comes to watering in these hot months, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. However, be aware that watering in the evening does make your plants more susceptible to disease and fungal problems. To minimise the risk, try to water either in the morning or after the strongest heat of the day has passed but while there is still enough time for leaves to dry out, and water directly into the soil, avoiding the leaves as much as possible.

Water heavily, but less often. Once your plants are established, two deep watering sessions per week are usually sufficient. This promotes healthy root growth as the plants search deeper for the last pockets of moisture between waterings. This way, not only do your plants become stronger and more resilient; if a watering is missed, you have nice strong plants which can cope with a little stress.

Distribute your watering, continually watering at only one root point leads to one-sided root growth and weaker plants due to poorer nutrient absorption. Instead, always water around the plant evenly. If the soil is particularly dry and ‘crusty’ it’s good to let the first watering soak in before doing a second watering once the soil has moistened and is better at absorbing the water.

Seaweed tonic is a great addition to your watering; just add it to your watering once every week or two. Seaweed tonic contains a large amount of minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and iodine, and abundant vitamins in a form which is easily absorbed. This is a wonderful organic way to increase flower, fruit and vegetable yields, and improve plant health and resilience to drought, pests and diseases.