When summer mercury goes up, it is not only pets and humans who get uncomfy. Heatwaves bring plenty of stress to your garden, but there are several easy and simple things you can do (or avoid doing) to assist your plants to beat the heat and certain things you may consider when gardening in the heat.
Watering
First thing first, try to water in the morning. It may appear like a chore, however, the walk around a garden before going to work can clear one’s head! An early morning drink will likely keep the soil nice and cool as the mercury tends to rise.
In case, morning isn’t an alternative for you, the next finest time for you to water is when the goes down in the evening. Avoid watering in the heat of noon. It is a pet peeve for many to see water launching 20 feet into the very air by sprinklers at about 4 pm on a hot day.
Minimize the Stress
Just like one does not wish to go doing push-ups for long in 30° heat, your plants do not wish to be stressed out, as well. Avoid the “surgical” tasks such as transplanting and planting until it all cools off a bit. The root system goes on to work overtime in the heat and doesn’t need any additional disturbances.
Try watering first
Plants have distinct kinds of root systems that depend on where they usually come from. Native and cool climate plants are likely to have deeper roots also are consequently well equipped to handle the dry conditions. The tropical plants such as peppers, tomatoes, and many annuals, have got roots close to a surface. Try giving them extra water, or else it’d damage the roots once the soil turns hard.
Cooling that Soil
Dark soil happens to absorb heat like the sponge, and the hot soil can well be dangerous to roots much under a surface. Thus, you need to be wary of this.
Keep the lawn a bit longer in heat. The longer blades will both keep roots cool via shading soil and further leafy tissue means additional ability to transpire that helps cool a plant.