The summer is promising to be a hot one. With temperatures climbing and much of the east coast worrying about droughts like the ones they faced last summer, you may think that gardening would seem like a mere dream. But there are several easy tricks that can keep your plants cool and productive and lessen your water usage, behind calling a specialist who always can help you with your garden.
- Wind can cause soil moisture to evaporate and damage plants. To prevent this, you can install or grow windbreaks, which are often made of snow or pallet fencing. These should be placed perpendicular to the direction of the wind.
- Shade cloth is a great way to extend the growing season and protect young transplants. It can also be used over new transplants or seeds that prefer cooler soils to germinate.
- Mulch is a great way to keep soil temperatures cooler, moisture levels up and weeds at bay. Options include grass clippings, straw, hay, old leaves, or shredded newspaper.
- You’ll need to tweak your watering schedule to suit your garden, but keeping an eye on the moisture level of the soil is key. If you wait until plants start wilting, you could harm their health, and reduce your harvest. You should also try to water at the best times of the day.
- When transplanting your crops into the garden, it’s best to avoid the heat and sun as much as possible. Transplant in the early morning, late evening, or on a cloudy day for best results. The plants will suffer less transplant shock that way.
- When transplanting, dig your hole a little deeper than necessary and create a basin around each plant that extends outwards beyond the edges of the plant’s crown to funnel rainwater towards the roots.
