Ahh, June and July are the highlight of most people’s years, including most gardeners. Somehow, we always come to a problem sometime mid to late July… how do I keep my plants watered and looking good all summer? When the heat comes, the flowerbeds start to look less than
happy, your pots start to suffer, and the garden seems to just survive, there are a few things to keep in your tool belt to help you succeed in situations like this.
Flowerbeds are probably the easiest to tend to during this season. First, by adding a generous layer of mulch around your plants, you can help preserve moisture in the soil and keep the ground temperature lower. This cooler earth helps keep the roots happy and the plant less heat-stressed. Secondly, watering in the morning and watering the soil deeply are the best ways to help your plants start the day off right. Giving them the time to absorb the water throughout the heat of the day instead of just trying to recover at the end will keep them less stressed and help them perform better.
Pots of any kind can be a bit more difficult because we often plant heavily in our containers to get the best effect. Adding moisture control crystals into the top few inches can help, along with making sure that when the pots are watered, they are watered thoroughly and deeply.
Moisture control soil crystals can often be hard to come by, so one of the hacks that can be utilized is to use the crystals from a baby’s diaper. The diaper can be easily soaked in water, allowed to swell, and then cut open to access the crystals. Mix these into the soil while they are full
of water, and the soil can wick the water from them when it dries out to help a single watering go longer. By doing this, along with proper deep waterings and watering in the mornings, you can set your planters up for the best success throughout the heat. For very large containers, a
layer of mulch may also be helpful to trap moisture.
The garden always seems to be the hardest to keep watered. There are a few ways to help with this. One such solution is to mulch your plants and even cover your walkways with mulch to minimize water loss and soil temperatures from getting too high. This mulch could range from stray to
cardboard to wood mulch, or even a combo of all three. Another way to help with watering in the garden is to make sure you are watering properly. When you hit your veggies with a hose, you need to avoid the leaves and focus more on the soil around the plant. Watering
the soil instead of the foliage helps to reduce the threat of fungus and disease on the plant.
By following a few of these tricks and experimenting on your own with things in your yard, you can be the most successful gardener this summer to keep the water IN your plants and the stress OUT of your garden.
