The City Gardener: We're having a heat wave!

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The dog days of summer are here – and both you and your garden could use a nice cool drink

Gardeners, like farmers, tend to have an above-average consciousness of the weather. We know when it’s going to rain, when it’s been too long since the last rain, and we are keenly aware when we’re in the midst of a stretch of cool, cloudy weather or – like most of this July, so far – an extended summer heat wave.

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There’s no question that heat stress can be hard, even fatal, for lawns and gardens. But don’t let the heat get to you. If you keep an eye on things, your little patch of Eden will weather the weather just fine.

The first and last rule for protecting your plants is frequent, and generous, watering – even daily, if necessary. Always water in the early morning, before the air has a chance to really heat up. That way, any water on the leaves will evaporate before the sun hits them, and more of it will soak into the soil.

I’ve talked in a previous column about soil drip irrigation systems that apply water directly to the roots of your plants; these are excellent in heat waves, because they get right to the root of the matter (if you’ll forgive the expression).

But hand-spraying with a garden wand, or using a small, circular sprinkler like my Dad’s Reliable (which is very easy to aim precisely where you want the water to go, such as garden beds or small patches of lawn), lets you focus your efforts where they are needed: low, towards the base of the plants.

Whichever way you prefer to water, just avoid exposing wet leaves to direct sunlight; the droplets have the same effect as a magnifying glass trained on an ant.

Be especially vigilant with newly planted specimens, and with container plants or houseplants that are vacationing on your patio or deck for the summer, since they can dry out in a matter of hours.

Check them every morning, and if needed, water them again in the evening. If it’s really scorching outside, move them to a shady spot on your deck or even inside (if they’re movable). If they’re too big to move, use an umbrella to shade them from the worst of the sun’s rays.

For those of us who have mature trees on or next to our properties, sitting in our gardens and enjoying their shade is especially pleasant on a hot summer day. (This is just one of many good reasons to plant a couple of trees as well as shrubs and plants when you start a new garden. Like people, trees start out small, but they tend to grow.)

If you are blessed with trees, don’t forget to give them a drink too – for all the pleasure they give us, aiming the hose at their roots seems a small thing to ask.

For me, the magic remedy for many garden challenges, including heat waves, has always been good old mulch. A couple of inches of mulch on top of the soil solves a world of problems. It retains moisture, preventing the soil and the roots beneath from drying out; it keeps the soil cool; it prevents soil compaction from the heavy, pounding rains of summer thunderstorms; it encourages beneficial creatures like worms to carry on their good work keeping the soil aerated; and it discourages weeds, which compete with your plants for moisture and nutrients.

If you’re a mulch evangelist like me, continue to tend your mulch as the summer wears on, and top it up or repair holes as they occur.

And keep reminding yourself: it may be sizzling outside right now, but next January, you’ll look out at your barren backyard and dream of the time when hot summer days like this will return.

Please feel free to write in with questions, to comment or to share your own city gardening adventures
with Martha. Write to her at marthasgarden07@gmail.com.