6 Hot Weather Watering Tips to Keep Your Plants Cool and Hydrated
Hot weather can really affect our garden plants! While many of our plants love to soak up the sun, intense summer heat dries up soil moisture much quicker than mild weather days. Follow these hot weather watering tips to prevent your plants from getting dehydrated and scorched from the sun.
Best Practices for Watering in Hot Weather
Just like us, plants need extra hydration to stay cool in scorching hot weather! Here are some tips to prevent them from wilting in the heat.
Watering Early in the Morning
When is the best time to water plants in hot weather? Early in the morning before the sun gets bright! See, the sun heats up the soil quite a bit, and the moisture reserves evaporate. If you get into the habit of watering your garden before the soil gets hot, your plants have way more time to soak up the available moisture before it runs out. That moisture also helps to insulate their roots from extreme temperatures, making them less likely to get heat stress.
Watering Containers Every Day
Containers have smaller reserves of soil, which means less moisture reserves. The moisture evaporates more quickly than in the garden bed, so, oftentimes, you need to practice daily watering during extreme summer weather. If there has been heavy rain, you can hold off for a day, but try your best not to let those containers dry out completely.
Spread Some Mulch
Mulch serves so many valuable purposes, from preventing weeds to delivering nutrients as it naturally breaks down. However, another fantastic benefit to this miracle material is its ability to shield the soil from the sun; this slows down the evaporation of moisture and keeps the soil cool, protecting your plants from extreme heat and dehydration. We recommend natural mulch materials like wood or pine bar treated with all-natural dyes to avoid adding unnecessary chemicals into the soil.
Maintain a Consistent Watering Schedule
Consistency is important, especially when you’re growing vegetables! Inconsistent watering can lead to fruit splitting, especially with thin-skinned crops like tomatoes. Well-hydrated plants are more resistant to pests, fungus and disease, and drastic changes in their growing environment can negatively affect their health. Start a habit of watering your plants in the morning when you grab the mail or while you wait for your coffee to brew, or set a daily alarm on your phone if you’re the forgetful type!
Don’t Overdo It!
When it’s super sunny out, it can be tempting to heavily drench your garden and planters so that they stay hydrated for longer. Remember, too much of a good thing can cause more harm than good! If too much water gets into the soil and doesn’t properly drain, evaporate, or get soaked up, it may linger around your plants’ roots and start to get funky. Root rot is difficult to treat, so you want to avoid it at all costs. Don’t oversaturate—one inch of water at a time should be plenty.
Consider an Irrigation System for Automatic Watering
If you plan on taking some weekend getaways or spur-of-the-moment vacations this summer, an irrigation system will be a lifesaver! Installing an irrigation system will consistently water your plants even when you aren’t home. Some come with sensors that remain in the soil, so when conditions are dry, the system will activate, and your plants will get watered automatically.
We hope our summer watering tips for 2022 are helpful! If you’re having trouble keeping your plants hydrated, or if there are any other issues with your garden that you can’t seem to solve, feel free to visit Windsor Greenhouse, and our staff can help troubleshoot the problem.