It’s a Cooker! How to Help Your Garden and Landscape Plants Survive the Heat

Willamette Valley Oregon, USDA Zone 8b

With temperatures soaring into the 100’s this holiday weekend, you’re probably not thinking about working out in the garden. Great! Now is not the time to plant, transplant, prune, or otherwise disturb your plants. Whew!

There are a few things you can do to help them come through this intense heat, though.

Shade ⛱

Providing shade via a shade cloth of sheets or any fabric you have lying around is an effective way to keep your soil cool and prevent sun scald on your plant’s leaves. Unless you’re growing okra, lemon grass, or peppers, which just seem to love it. 🌞

Water Deeply 💦

No surprise here. In the morning each day give your landscape a deep watering, trying to get the water about 6″ deep or more. Feel free to check each morning to see if the soil is still moist from the previous day by digging down a few inches  then adjust accordingly.

Potted Plants 🪴

Move them into the shade if possible. If they’re too big, like several of mine, see if you can provide shade via an umbrella or shade cloth, especially for south or west facing pots. Water deeply in the morning and maybe early afternoon too.

Mulch or Compost

A fresh layer of a couple inches of compost will help the soil retain water in your veggie beds. Compost holds water like a sponge and will slow evaporation from the soil. Wood mulch on your landscape plants will behave the same way. More about mulch.

Resources

• OSU Extension: Tips for gardening in extreme heat