Tips from Olle Garden Bed: Watering the Garden in Hot Weather: The Secret of Success

If you live in a hot weather area, or if you are gardening in a heat wave, it is important to know how and when to water plants for optimal efficiency. If you know how to water in hot weather, you can keep your plants happy even under the most intolerable conditions. The following content also has some reference value for raised garden beds.

It is good to know when to water plants. Although time is very important, especially in hot weather, it is also important to know exactly how to water plants. In terms of time, the best time to water the garden and lawn is in the early morning and after sunset.

A frequently repeated myth points out that you should avoid watering in hot weather, because the water drops left on the leaves of plants will heat in the sun and cause the surface of the leaves to burn or burn. This is not true. However, watering in hot weather should still be avoided for different reasons. Noon watering is not popular simply because it wastes water. In the afternoon, the sun is high in the sky, and its light bakes the soil all noon. When you water in the afternoon, you will lose a lot of water to evaporate.

When watering, you should still try your best to avoid direct water accumulation on the surface of the plant leaves. This is not to avoid hot leaves, but to avoid rotting and fungal infection. It is ideal to install a watering system that delivers water directly to the roots of plants, but installation requires a lot of work. If you can't swing it, you can still minimize leaf moisture by watering the plant close to the ground instead of raining from above. When watering, soak the ground around the plants on the tree roots.

Another important tip to remember when watering your garden in high temperatures is deep watering. If you are using a garden hose set to shower, please give each plant 20 seconds to drink before continuing. To see if your watering is deep enough, dig out the unplanted area of the garden and check that the soil is damp at least eight inches below the surface. If so, you have watered the area deep. Keep in mind that plants placed in pots and planters need to be watered more frequently because the soil in the container tends to dry faster than the soil in the garden beds.

If you want to garden successfully, you need to pay attention to the humidity level of the garden, so paying close attention to it is the key. Overwatering can cause problems in the garden, including root rot and fungal infections. Wet soil will also create an environment that attracts pests, which may be a nightmare for vegetable gardeners. Completely drying the soil can be as disastrous as over watering, causing slow growth, withered leaves, and possibly preventing your plants from flowering or bearing fruit.

Gardens and lawns need the right amount of water to grow properly. If you let your soil dry completely between watering, your plants will wither and wither. However, if you use a rain gauge and keep the soil moist throughout the summer, your garden will thrive. Don't be afraid to put your finger into the soil from time to time to check the humidity level. This is actually the surest way to determine whether plants need water.

Another simple technique to help you keep your garden properly watered in the summer is to find a plant that will serve as a warning sign that your garden needs water. No matter what plants you plant, there are some plants that are more susceptible to summer heat and humidity than others. With the beginning of summer heat wave, please pay attention to which plants wither or droop first when you can use drinks. If you find that a plant or group of plants shows signs of summer fatigue earlier than other plants, you can use the plant or group of plants as a visual reminder that you need to break the watering can or garden hose and rain. Many plants will send out obvious distress signals when thirsty, but will quickly rebound at night after deep watering.

Keep a rain gauge on your property so that you can pay close attention to how much water your garden and lawn naturally absorb in summer, so that you know how much you need to replenish each week. In hot summer, especially in a warm climate, you may need to water the garden more than you think.

For mature plants or more mature specimens, daily watering may be sufficient. But younger plants or more delicate plants may require more attention. Some plants in the garden may need to be watered twice a day to be healthy and strong. Therefore, although most of your plants will perform well if you water them in the morning or evening, younger, more delicate plants may need to be watered in the morning and evening. When the sun is really hot, such as in summer, you may need to water it before 9 a.m. to really avoid the summer heat.

The most sensitive plants may benefit to some extent from being protected from sunlight. You can pick up and move plants that have grown in containers, or dig out your plants to give them their own pots. Or, you can move tall plants and let their shadows cast on the plants you want to protect. You can also turn to products such as sunshades or row covers to cast some shadows on your delicate plants.

One way to reduce the amount of water plants need is to add a layer of mulch to the surrounding soil surface. Be sure to leave a few inches of space between the plant and the covering material to help prevent plant disease. You should ensure that the covering material never touches the stems or leaves of the plant by keeping the boundary empty.

Spreading your choice of mulch material two to three inches around the plant reduces water loss and regulates soil temperature. You will find that the plants in your garden need 25% to 50% less water after adding mulch. This is because mulch can reduce soil temperature, thereby reducing the amount of water required by plants, while covering gardens can also reduce the amount of water lost by evaporation.

There are many different covering materials to choose from, and the best one depends on your garden and your goals. In order to reduce water loss in hot weather, some of the best mulches are coconut shells, grass dust, peat moss, cut bark or cut leaves.

If there is really a heat wave in your area, you should postpone any fertilization you may plan for a while. When the weather gets too hot, your plant will enter a survival mode similar to dormancy. If the weather is too hot, they will not be able to absorb and consume the nutrients in the fertilizer as usual.

In a word, water deeply, and water in the morning and evening when the sun is most gentle. Water the plants at the bottom without splashing the leaves. For most plants, once a day is enough, but delicate or young plants can be watered twice a day. You can use shade (from tall plants, row covers or sun screens) to protect really delicate plants. Don't use fertilizer when the weather is really hot. The best way to prevent moisture loss at high temperatures is to apply a two to three inch covering. Keep these tips in mind and use them in your garden to keep your plants hydrated even in hot weather.