Gardening is fun, up until you start seeing your hard work fly out the window when the heat turns up. Keeping a beautiful garden during the summer isn’t just hard work, but also strategic. This summer while you prepare for the hottest months of the year, you may consider a few ideas when it comes to your garden:
Keep it in the shade
When the hottest months of the year arrive you’ll be glad you followed this tip. When planting your garden consider where the sun is at all times, and how much of the time your plants receive sun block. As the sun rotates so will the focus on your plants and that is an ideal way to help them blossom. If you’re thinking it’s too late because your garden is already planted and there are no trees to be found, don’t worry. There is something called shade netting that you can put over your plants to help them keep about 10 degrees cooler on those real hot summer days.
Water, water, water
Before it’s too late, consider a water solution! I think it’s safe to assume that most of us have very busy lives, so spending hours a day watering your garden isn’t very practical. When you think of a water solution you may consider a sprinkler or even an irrigation system. An interesting fact that might surprise you is that research shows that you should never water your plants in direct sunlight. Watering your plants in midday may be instinct for newbie gardeners, but watering them in the middle of the day can actually cause some plants what is known as “leaf burn”. Pro tip: You don’t have to spend big to save big. Most sprinklers that are under $50 also have a timer setting so you control how much water is used and when it’s used.
Mulch
Fertilizer works just as well as mulch, but some don’t favor fertilizer. So, mulch to the rescue! Laying mulch in your garden can really save you. Mulch helps keep in moisture,, helping your plants keep hydrated longer. Some down sides of mulch is that is can attract snails and slugs, but some pros are that mulch can help your plants keep their nutrients. Something you may want to consider as the warmer months approach.
