As threats of a hosepipe ban continue, the RHS issues a soil dryness warning to UK gardeners.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is warning gardeners that soil dryness levels have already reached a level not often encountered until late July or August.

Recent low rainfall has led to soils having a moisture deficit of four inches, explained the Society, meaning that four inches of rain is required in order to restore soil to full moisture capacity.

The RHS' warning follows news that water company United Utilities has applied for a drought permit application and is considering imposing a hosepipe ban in the north west of England.

Met Office figures have revealed that rainfall across the UK for the first five months of 2010 averaged at just 318.99mm, compared with the average of 424.1mm. As a result, the UK is experiencing the driest start to the year since 1964, when an average of 307.99mm was recorded.

RHS chief horticultural adviser Guy Barter said: "It would have to be unusually rainy now to fully replenish the soil, so vulnerable plants may need supplementary watering. Most established trees, shrubs and climbers should have sufficient roots to withstand this level of dryness by using water stored in the soil from winter rain, but as summer rain is seldom sufficient for newly planted trees and shrubs, I would suggest that ones planted in the last two years will need watering every 10 days even if there is some rain now."

The RHS is also offering watering advice on its website, suggesting that gardeners should create 'ponds' around individual plants and water the soil deeply, as opposed to merely wetting the surface, which encourages weeds.