Keeping Your Gardens Cool Amid Summer Heat
While the summer heat might be nice to fantasize about now that the frigid temperatures have arrived, we were all not so thrilled about the heat during summer. High temperatures and extreme drought complicate gardening in several different ways. Let’s discuss a couple of tips that can better prepare you and your garden for heat and drought in the 2023 season.
1. Water at the Right Time
When watering your plants, it is important to remember to water at the base of the plant. Watering the plant’s foliage can result in burn marks or yellowing. Watering at the base of the plant (or under the plant’s foliage) keeps the soil around the plant from drying out quickly. For this same reason, the best time to water is early in the morning before the sun rises.
2. Use Mulch
Mulch serves your garden in many ways. Mulch acts as a weed preventer, beautifies your landscape, shades the plant’s roots, and most importantly retains moisture for a longer period.
3. Plant the Right Plants
Learning about the zone you reside in and what plants are native to your zone will save you time, money, and effort throughout the season. Because native plants are already acclimated to the zone they are being planted in, they root more quickly and require less attention and water. Native plants are more likely to survive extreme temperatures and droughts. Another technique you can explore is planting your garden more densely. Planting more perennials and groundcover will create a barrier that shades both the roots and the soil. This will hold moisture and keep soil from drying out.
4. Use Your Surroundings
Assess your current landscaping before planting. Do you have trees and shrubs that provide partial/full shade? These spots could be great for plants that do not require full sunlight and will help keep the plants cool on those hot summer days. Another option for providing shade is using a shade cloth!
5. Use the Correct Soil Mixture
Perhaps the most important step to keeping your plants healthy and moist during the summer is making sure you have the right soil mixture. Soil that contains compost will create optimal growing conditions for your plants during heat waves. Using soil that contains compost will improve your soil structure, reduce water usage and raise the nutrient content of your existing soil. Call Denali today to learn more about what mix might be good for your garden!