Helpful Tips For Keeping Plants Cool In The Summer
So far this summer has been a hot one! With the temperatures climbing and much of the east coast worrying about droughts, a productive garden may seem hard to obtain. However there’s several easy tricks that can keep your plants cool, productive, and even lessen your water usage. Here are some tips you can start using in your garden today:
Use mulch
Mulch is one of the easiest ways to keep soil temperatures cooler and moisture levels up. Plus mulch cuts down on the weeding. Any type will do, you’ll just want to make sure to lay a thick layer down to help keep the moisture in.
Water your garden consistently
Your watering schedule will obviously be unique to your garden but you should work hard to maintain moist soil conditions. Waiting for plants to start wilting before you realize it’s time to water harms your plants’ health and reduces your harvest.
Water at the right times
Watering consistently is half the battle but you should also try to water at the best times of day. The early morning and evening are the best times to water. Less water is wasted waisted to evaporation because it has a chance to soak into the soil before it’s exposed to the mid-day sun and heat.
Removing weeds
Removing weeds is a general rule of thumb, but in the summer weeds are especially dangerous because they compete with your crops for water and soil nutrients. Cut them down quickly and frequently to ensure that your plants don’t get choked out by unwelcome garden dwellers.
Provide Shade
During extreme heat, plants will cease flowering and can get sunburned. When temperatures get into the mid 90’s, plants like peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants hold back flowering. A good way to remedy this is to give them some shade during the hottest part of the day. You can use a patio umbrella for a small area or a lightweight piece of fabric (like a flat bed sheet) stretched over a trellis to shade sections of your garden.