When the Heat is On

How to keep your yard, garden and containers alive and thriving when temperatures soar

We know. It is hot. The kind of hot that makes you not even want to look out the window at your garden, let alone go out there and do something about it. But a little extraattention right now, even just a few minutes in the early morning before the day heats up, can make the difference between a yard that comes through this heat wave and one that does not.

Here is what your plants are going through and what you can do to help.

Take a Walk Around First

Before you do anything, just go look. A stressed lawn will not spring back when you walk on it, and the color shifts from bright green to something with a blue-gray tinge. In your garden beds, plants that need water will show it in wilted or curled leaves with dry, brown edges, especially at the tips. Interestingly, over-watered plants can look similar, but they tend to have yellowing older leaves and pale, weak new growth. It is worth knowing the difference before you reach for the hose.

Water Deep, Not Often

This is the single most important thing you can do for your yard right now. Short, frequent watering keeps roots near the surface where they are most vulnerable to heat. Deep, thorough watering encourages roots to follow the moisture downward into cooler soil, where they are far better protected.

Your Porch Pots and Hanging Gardens Need You Most

Containers dry out faster than anything else in your yard because they have a limited amount of soil to draw from. When temperatures climb above 90 degrees, watering twice a day is not overdoing it, it is just keeping up. Water thoroughly each time until you see it running from the drainage holes. That tells you the soil is fully saturated and also helps flush out any salt buildup that can stress roots over time.

Because frequent watering washes nutrients out of potting mix, your containers need regular fertilizer right now more than ever. Keep that up and your porch pots will keep performing rather than just barely hanging on.

Annuals, Perennials and Vegetable Gardens

Water at the base of plants rather than overhead and try to do it early in the morning. Morning watering cuts down on evaporation and gives foliage time to dry completely before nightfall. Wet leaves overnight are an open invitation to fungal problems.

A good layer of mulch, two to three inches around your plants, is one of the kindest things you can do for a struggling garden bed right now. It keeps soil temperature more stable, slows moisture loss and gives your plants a fighting chance on the hottest days. Vegetable gardens especially need consistent moisture to keep producing, so do not let them dry out between waterings.

Trees and Shrubs

Established trees and shrubs are tougher than they look, but they still appreciate a deep drink during a stretch like this. Apply water slowly so it soaks in rather than running off, and apply two to three inches at a time. For younger trees and shrubs, those in the ground less than four years, water close to the trunk inside the dripline. For older, more established plantings, the roots have spread well beyond the canopy, so water from the outer edge of the dripline outward.

It is also worth knowing that some trees are simply thirstier than others. Aspen, birch, cottonwood, dogwood, maple, spruce and willow need more frequent attention in the heat than green ash, caragana, cotoneaster, lilac, pine and Russian olive.

Lawns

Raise your mower blade to three inches if you have not already. Longer grass shades the soil, keeps it cooler and holds moisture better. Your lawn needs one inch of water per week, and applying it all at once does far more good than splitting it into shorter sessions. In this kind of heat, a brief watering evaporates before it ever reaches the roots. A simple trick for measuring your sprinkler output is to set a few empty tuna cans around the yard, run your system, and see how long it takes to collect an inch. Then adjust your timer accordingly. Leaving clippings on the lawn during a heat wave helps retain moisture too, though you will want to rake them up once things cool down to keep disease from setting in.

New Plantings

Anything you planted this spring deserves your closest attention right now. Young plants have not yet developed the deep root systems that help established plants ride out the heat. Check on them daily and water before they show signs of stress. A plant that wilts badly in extreme heat is much harder to bring back than one that never gets to that point.

One Last Thing

There is no perfect watering schedule because every yard is different. Soil type, sun exposure, wind and the plants themselves all affect how quickly moisture is used. Pay attention, check your soil before you water, and trust what you observe. Your yard will tell you what it needs. You just have to listen.

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About Gainan's Midtown Flowers & Garden Center 

Gainan's Flowers and Garden Center is family owned and operated with a rich and storied history. We are committed to offering only the finest floral arrangements and gifts backed by service that is friendly and prompt. That is why we always go the extra mile to make your gift perfect. Our business is to turn feelings into flowers. Together, we have celebrated births, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and mourned with our customers seeking sympathy tributes. We are so fortunate, and thank our community of customers beyond measure for allowing us the opportunity to partner with them in all the seasons of their lives.