With temperatures just starting to creep up, and our summer gardens planted, it’s time to plan how to manage the heat that always seems to threaten our veggies. Here are some helpful hints and common mistakes to avoid.
1.Don’t Over Water.
Resist the temptation to drown your plants to keep them from drying out. It’s normal for leaves to droop in the heat of the day. Instead use a water wand to apply water deeply every few days. You should be concerned if your plants are drooping in the morning.
2. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!
Mulching keeps the moisture in and the heat down. A light colored mulch is better than a dark one. I recommend using a blend of compost materials.
3. Don’t Fertilize!
Fertilizing, especially when you use non-organic mixes, will cause your plants to add new growth, even if they don’t want to. Summer heat can cause “slow-release” synthetic fertilizers to release rapidly and burn your plants’ roots.
4. Be Patient.
Your tomatoes may stop producing. This is temporary and they’ll resume their work once the temperatures move back down. Tomatoes need evening temperatures below 70° in order to set fruit.
5. Personal Safety.
Use common sense and stay out of the garden during the heat of the day. If you do have to go out, wear a big floppy hat and light colored clothes and drink lots of water.
6. Water Restrictions?
Set up a water barrel to collect rainwater. Use it for your thirstiest plants first. Rainwater is much better than city water because it doesn’t have chlorine or other chemicals.
7. Plan for Next Year.
If summer heat seems to be a consistent problem, you should consider relocating your garden to a spot that gets at least six hours of sun, but where it also gets afternoon shade. Mix lots of compost into your soil to allow for better water retention and deeper root growth. Choose heat resistant plants and place them closer together so they’ll shade each other. Water deeply and less often to encourage deep root growth.