By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALLQ: This heat wave is really brutal on my garden, and it's especially bad on my plants in pots and my hanging baskets. Do you have any suggestions on how I can keep my plants from drying out so quickly?A: Summers generally are hot here in the eastern Florida Panhandle, but day after day of temperatures hovering around 100 is unusual, even for us. And extreme heat stresses plants as well as people.
When you water your garden, do it in the early morning hours, while the temperatures are still relatively low, to minimize evaporation. Make sure you water it deeply, applying at least an inch of water, so that the moisture sinks down to the root zone. Light, superficial watering might perk up the foliage, but it also encourages shallow root development, which makes the plant more vulnerable to dry spells. This time of year, when the days are at their longest here, you also can water in the evening but try to do it early enough in the evening that foliage can dry before dark. Dampness encourages fungal growth.
Use a thick layer of mulch to retain moisture and keep the soil surface cool. The sun baking on the soil heats it up so it dries out faster. You also might want to think about a shade cloth for your garden; it can lower temperatures by several degrees.
Having a watering system also can help. Not only is it exhausting for the gardener to have to drag around a hose, a system lets you target the water application to the plants' root zones. There are a variety of systems, some quite simple that gardeners can easily install themselves, ranging from soaker hoses to drip irrigation and micro-irrigation systems to fancy sprinkler heads on timers.
There are also watering bulbs available at garden centers, which are particularly good for plants in pots. You fill them with water, stick them in the dirt upside-down. As the soil dries, air pockets are formed and gravity pulls the water down from the bulb into the soil. You also can find pointed spouts that fit on the end of 2-liter soda bottles that do the same thing. I bought some a few years ago at the Home Show at the Civic Center but you also can find them on the Internet.
A gallon plastic milk jug with three holes poked in the bottom is a cheap option for a big pot or for a plant in the yard or garden that's really suffering and you want to save. Set the jug in place and fill it using a narrow-spout watering can. Your neighbors might think it looks goofy, but it's an effective temporary measure.
Move potted plants into the shade. Even full-sun plants can take a vacation for a few days in light or dappled shade. Potted plants tend to dry out faster than plants in the ground, so you might need to water pots twice a day until this heat wave breaks.
As for hanging baskets, they're even more vulnerable than potted plants because the drying heat surrounds even the bottom of the pots. Water morning and night and consider moving them, too, to the shade temporarily.
And don't forget to take care of yourself as well as your plants. Drink lots of water and avoid strenuous work during the hottest part of the day.
Labels: heat wave, Newspaper Columns, Summer, watering
