California’s is making heat wave history right now and high temperatures mean more water is needed for your landscape. With such unusually high heat we need to take a few extra steps to keep our landscapes healthy. Below is a quick list of things you can do today to make your landscape survive the heat. They are water efficient practices that help your landscape stay healthier in the heat:
- An extra late afternoon watering helps keep plant roots cool.
- Make shade for your plants. Think repurposing here. Old window screens, wood lattice, or if your plants are tall just install a sun shade beside them to protect the base from sun.
- Remove weeds to reduce competition for moisture.
- Water early in the morning right before dawn, it reduces losses to wind and evaporation.
- Test the spray patterns of sprinkler systems; check for clogged lines and mixed nozzle sizes of sprinkler heads, repair leaks.
- Use drip irrigation to reduce water usage.
- Set lawn mower blades higher to increase ground shade and water retention in soil.
- Mulch around shrubs and planters to reduce evaporation and cut down on weeds.
You’ve worked too hard to let your landscape fail in the heat. Hot sun can be hard on garden plants and their roots. These tips help If watering and mulching are not doing enough to keep your plants cool enough to continue producing. Also don’t forget late summer also is the time to plant your fall-producing crops, such as spinach, lettuce, broccoli, carrots, beets and radishes. If you enjoy