Nursing your garden through this hot and dry summer

If you can keep your garden plants alive over this summer, then you’ve done a great job! Here’s a list of tips to help you win the war against the hot sun slowly draining the life out of your precious plants:

• Water before the sun comes up or after it sets so water is not lost to evaporation.

• Do not prune off burnt flowers or foliage as this protects the rest of the plant from burning when another brutal hot day occurs.

• Place a bed sheet over areas being burnt by sun on days in the high 30s and low 40s.

• Mulch to keep moisture in the soil.

• Remove weeds! They steal precious water and nutrients from the soil leaving less for your garden plants.

• Add Season to your garden. Seasol is a plant tonic which both as a liquid compost which stimulates root development leading to greater nutrient absorption.

• Set irrigation systems over summer for three to four times per week. Longer irrigation times a few times per week is better than shorter times every day to encourage deeper infiltration.

• Remove potted plants from full sun into shaded areas on very hot days.

• Hold off planting new plants until the hot weather subsides.

Here’s all the ones I could think of. If I’ve missed any, please add to them in the comments.

Good Luck!

Tim