LifestyleGardeningGardeningA gardening expert has shared an affordable and easy method to help rescue dry plants in hot weather – and it could rehydrate rock-hard soil in just one hourKatie-Ann Gupwell08:22, 30 May 2026The roasting hot weather has continued through the week following the hottest May bank holiday ever recorded – and the heat has taken a toll on many.‌Sweaty nights spent tossing and turning, as well as dehydration and sunburn, are among the problems brought by the sunshine. However, you also need to be mindful of how the heat impacts your garden.‌Lush lawns can soon turn dry, brittle, patchy and brown as they cry out for some rain. Meanwhile, the soil bakes hard, cracks and can even start repelling water rather than soaking it in.‌Flowers may fade and drop sooner than usual. Plus, leaves often wilt or show sun-scorch with bleached patches and crispy brown edges.Your instinct may be to run outside with a hosepipe or watering can to try and mitigate these problems, but you could end up doing more harm than good by waterlogging your garden.To prevent this, green-fingered content creator Ish has shared a technique he loves using in his garden. All you'll need is a bowl full of water and a compost to "rescue" plants that have been battered by the sun.‌Content cannot be displayed without consentGardening enthusiast Ish explained that when you forget to water your plants, the soil can turn "rock hard" and struggle to absorb moisture.However, he demonstrated his method by lowering a small plant into a bowl of water. He said: "Eventually it will slowly start soaking all that water back in.‌"It'll start to then become soft and pliable and incredibly absorbent, and that's exactly what you do with dried-up compost."You leave it to soak for about an hour, and what that'll do is rehydrate the soil, and create a kind of nice, easy, spongy texture, which means when you water this, it will completely soak in all of the water."Once an hour has passed, you can easily take this out, and you'll feel the weight already of the hydrated soil in there. Just place it on a shelf to slowly drain away, and your soil will be fully rehydrated.Article continues below"As a result, you'll be able to water this again and again as normal. The water won't run out of the sides, but actually soak in and your plant will be nice and happy."So there you have it, it really is as easy as that!Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Gardening