How to care for your garden during a heat wave
Your garden may not be enjoying this heat as much as you are so we are providing a few tips to help keep it healthy.
For the hot and dry month of August, here are some suggestions to keep your plants and grass in good condition.
The running times from irrigation controllers should be increased so things don’t dry out. It is also better to run for longer times less frequently than run the zones every day for shorter times. A deep watering encourages deep roots which in turn make for a stronger plant that can resist droughts and diseases easier.
Bark mulch can also help to keep the plants moist during the hot summer sunny days. Three inches minimum depth is recommended.
New sod needs to be watered immediately after laying. It should be watered until the ground under the sod is wet. Keep the ground under the sod moist and you will see new roots in 5 days!
New plants need to be hand-watered regularly until the root system has established itself. The first week daily watering, the second week every second day, the third week every third day during the hot days or months.
Move potted plants to a shaded area or for larger pots cover with a lightweight piece of fabric.
Finally, early morning or when the evening starts to get cooler is the best time to water or to do any weeding and light clean-up.
