This summer is shaping up to be one of the hottest on record for most of the country. With record breaking temperatures happening this month, I thought I would share some tips on how to garden in the heat.
Stay Hydrated
It is easy to get distracted and forget to drink water while you are working. If you are like me, I tend to lose track of time when I am out in my yard. Try to remember to drink a lot of water while you are outside and temperatures are rising.
Chase the Shade
I try to always work in the shade. That means I get up early in the morning or I wait until the evening. Gardening is much more enjoyable in the cooler temperatures of the shade.
Sun Protection
When you can’t avoid working in full sun, make sure to protect yourself by wearing a sun hat. I love this straw hat from Digz! I also like to wear white UV protective shirts. You can’t be too careful when it comes to preventing sun damage to your skin.
Wet Your Cooling Towel
When you have to be outdoors in the heat, wet a cloth to put around your neck like this cooling towel from Digz. It is surprising how quickly this trick helps cool you down! It gives you instant relief when you are overheated.
Choose Heat Tolerant Plants
Plant native plants that can handle the heat. This way you won’t have to baby them when the temperature rises. This is especially important if you live in a place where it is common to have scorching summers.
Watch Newly Planted Plants
Plants like trees, bushes, and perennials take up to 2 years to establish their roots. Closely watch anything that has been newly planted. Even if they are drought tolerant plants, they will need a little extra water to make it through the heat.
Don’t Harvest When It’s Hot
Don’t harvest in the heat of the day. It is best to harvest in the morning when the moisture levels in the herbs, fruits, vegetables, and flowers are the highest.
Shade Cloth
Add shade cloth to heat sensitive plants like cold crops. You can buy it from any garden center, home improvement store, or online. This shade cloth saved my lettuce from bolting during a heat wave and gave me an extra 2 weeks to harvest.
Hold Off on Pruning
Pruning will trigger new growth. If you prune during the hottest part of the summer, the new growth may not do well in the heat. Wait until temperatures drop to prune your trees, roses, or bushes.
Don’t Spray When It’s Hot
If you choose to use herbicides, don’t spray when the temperatures are above 85 degrees. The poisons can turn to vapor and drift to other areas of your yard and kill plants you were not intending to kill.
Please don’t spray pesticides (even organic ones) during the day when pollinators and beneficial insects are active. They will be killed along with the “bad” bugs you are targeting. Spray in the early morning or dusk.
Add Mulch
To help the soil retain moisture, add a thick layer of organic matter such as wood chips, wood mulch, bark, pine needles, straw, compost, or shredded leaves. As an added bonus, this will also help reduce weeds and the organic matter will feed the soil as it breaks down.
Wait to Transplant
It is best to transplant (and plant) in the spring and fall when it is a bit cooler. Transplanting already causes the plant so much stress and if it is also hot, the plant may not survive. If your circumstances are such that you have to, use shade cloth and water regularly until the temperatures go down.
You can still garden in the heat if you are smart about how you go about it. Follow these tips and you and your garden will be healthy all summer long.
Happy Gardening!
