Growing a home garden requires a lot of prior planning and preparation. Keep it productive and healthy all season. Unfortunately, the extreme heat during summer can significantly damage plants and affect your harvest. Protect your garden from the effects of the blistering heat. Here are five ways to help your garden survive summer.
Water Plants to Help Your Garden Survive Summer
During extreme temperatures, plants need extra water. Don’t skip watering on the hottest days of the year. Take time to water plants deeply, applying water at the base and allowing it to soak into the soil.
Water plants early in the morning or evening when the sun has already set to make sure plants have enough time to absorb the moisture. Avoid watering when the sun is bright, as the water will evaporate quickly before seeping into the ground.
Choose the Right Plants for Your Garden
Another easy way to help your garden survive summer is by planting suitable crops. It will be easier to manage the plants by choosing varieties that thrive in high temperatures. These crops include peppers, squash, green beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Sow these plants early before the weather gets too hot.
Help Your Garden Survive Summer by Adding Mulch
Adding mulch is a fantastic way to beat the summer heat. Mulch helps plants conserve moisture and keeps the soil cool. It also helps deter weeds from growing, which could harbor diseases or insects. To keep weeds at bay, place cardboard over the soil and then cover it with mulch. The cardboard will suffocate weeds before they have a chance to grow.
Start Your Garden at the Right Time
Make sure your plants are well-established before the summer heat arrives. Start plants early in the season to allow them to develop strong roots to withstand high temperatures. Learn about local weather patterns. Establishing healthy plants might involve starting seeds indoors in spring. However, healthy grown plants are more likely to withstand extreme heat than those that haven’t yet become established in the garden.
Provide Shade
It can be challenging to grow cold-hardy plants during summer without some shade. But, even sun-loving plants benefit from shade during the hottest months.
If you have potted plants, move them to a shady area like the patio or under taller foliage. For those plants that you cannot relocate, invest in sunshades, umbrellas, or shade cloth for the garden to provide temporary shade when it’s scorching hot.
To help your garden survive summer, create a plan early in the year. The above tips will help nurture your garden and protect your plants from the hot summer weather.
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