As most gardeners know, hot temperatures can cause major stress and sunburn to our outdoor plants. Below are some five tips to keep your plants thriving in the summer heat and hopefully, these methods will decrease any heat wave damage done to your garden. 

Definitions of what constitutes a heat wave vary, with most stating that it’s a period of abnormally high temperatures for that particular region. Some specify that a heat wave lasts at least two days, while others begin at five days. One definition I found stated that a heat wave is when temperatures are 9 degrees Fahrenheit above the average high.

​Plants in containers are most susceptible to extreme heat, as the air temperatures can “cook” the roots as well as the tops. Shallow-rooted plants such as annuals are particularly sensitive to the effects of a heat wave, while most succulents are fairly tolerant.

Now, let’s start with the most important tip –

TIP #1: Water, Water, and More Water

• • High temperatures increase the rate that water is lost to the atmosphere from a plant’s leaves, resulting in wilting and sunburn damage. You’ll need to increase the amount of supplemental irrigation that they receive. It’s best to do this the day before the heat wave arrives. When you water your plants is also important. Irrigating them in the middle of a hot day isn’t effective, as your shrubs and perennials are devoting all their energy to dealing with surviving the heat, not to taking up water. The best time to water plants is early in the morning, when temperatures are lower, which will help carry them through the day. Avoid overwatering, which is also harmful to plants. If the soil is soggy, skip the extra watering session, as it will do more harm than good.

TIP #2: Shade is Your Garden’s New BFF

• • On a hot summer’s day, we all look for a shady spot where temperatures are a few degrees lower. Unfortunately, plants can’t move toward the shade, but we can bring it to them. Nurseries and big-box stores carry landscape burlap and shade cloth, which can be placed on top of plants to screen them from the sun. Other temporary shade methods include using a portable shade canopy to shield an area of the garden from the sun. Even a single patio chair can protect a low-growing plant. If you have container plants, place them on rollers so that you can move them as needed to a shady area.

TIP #3: Avoid Pruning

• • It’s tempting to prune away sunburned growth, as it isn’t attractive, but put away those pruners. Although the outer foliage may be damaged, it’s protecting the interior of the plant by providing shade. Wait to prune away sun-damaged growth until temperatures return to normal. For extra safety, wait until summer is almost over before pruning away in case of the arrival of another heat wave.

TIP #4: Add a Layer of Mulch

• • Hot temperatures don’t affect just the parts of the plant that are above the ground; they also impact the roots. Adding a layer of mulch around trees, shrubs and ground covers will help keep the soil several degrees cooler while preventing it from drying out. Apply mulch about 3 inches thick around your plants, spreading it to the drip line (where the branches extend out to) and taking care to keep it 6 inches away from the trunks of trees.

TIP #5: Skip the Fertilizer 

• • As we talked about earlier, plants devote all their resources to surviving a heat wave. Because of this, they can’t spare the energy to take up fertilizer, which remains in the soil and can “burn” the plant. After the scorching weather has abated, go ahead and resume your regular fertilizing schedule.

Stay cool this upcoming week! Until next month!

Resources: Houzz.com

Whether your home has central air conditioning or not, these helpful tips will keep you cool these summer months and save on energy bills. 

1. Air Circulation

• • A great way to get air circulating is by forcing air flow with a fan/box fan in your window. Night cooling also helps to naturally decrease the temperature in your house and exchange hot interior air for cooler outdoor air. Ceiling fans and standing fans placed near windows at night can help force the air movement when there is no breeze and a small temperature difference. During the day the added air movement from fans can help the perception of heat, which is tied to humidity.

2. Block the Sun from Reaching Your Windows

• • The more shading you can include on the outside, the better. Consider a simple overhang made with brackets and wood slats to block your windows from the intense summer sun. Solar-control window films can offer UV protection and reduce the amount of heat gained from solar radiation. Compared with some elaborate shading systems, these could be a less expensive alternative. Even simple bamboo blinds can block a good portion of sunlight without completely sacrificing daylight.

3. Add Interior Drapes, Blinds or Shades

• • Once the heat from the sun’s rays passes through the glass of a window, that heat is in the house and will need to be ventilated to escape. To keep your floors and walls from soaking up that heat from direct rays and emitting it throughout the day, it can help to add another layer of protection between the window and the main thermal mass of your home. Sheer window treatments are a nice way to mitigate direct sun rays to the floor but maintain soft, natural daylight. Plus, white reflects sunlight better than colors.

4. Transition Your Bed Into Summer Mode

• • I don’t know about you, but I feel summer heat the most when I’m trying to sleep. Reduce the amount of bedding you have and stick to natural fabrics like linen or 100 percent cotton. Synthetic blends don’t breathe enough to release all the heat we generate during the night. Have a porch or balcony? Consider transitioning it into a sleeping porch. Depending on your home or apartment and security concerns, you may have a little exterior screened-in space that can be used like a sleeping porch. You could have a little daybed with light linens for nights when it’s comfortable enough to sleep in open air.

5. Turn Off Major Appliances During the Day

• • To help maintain those cooler temperatures during the day, reduce anything that generates heat in your house or apartment. For example, don’t use the dryer or oven and try not to open the fridge too often. The more you open it, the more the motor has to work to cool it down again, and the heat generated from that work will be released back into your apartment.

6. Stay Hydrated

• • What may seem like the most simple solution is usually the solution looked over the most often. Stay hydrated! Drinking water also helps regulate body temperatures.

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your June! Until next month!

Resources: Houzz.com