It’s hot. Really hot. I know many people are feeling higher temperatures right now so I want to preface this by saying please stay safe. While heat is a normal part of summer in most areas, the temperatures we have had over this season in many parts of the US have been dangerous. Here in Utah, we have had many days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 37.7 Celsius), and this week we have been roughly 103 more days than not. One thing we have going in our favor is that we have very little humidity. I personally love humidity because it helps with my skin and asthma and I just feel better, but having humidity with this heat would be miserable. Please take care of yourself.
Pick your gardening time – So, with that being said let’s talk about how to take care of yourself and your garden during this heat. First things first, DO NOT GARDEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY!!! It is hot. Dangerously hot. You want to make sure you are gardening early in the morning. If you can, do as much of your gardening before the sun even comes up. The second best time is in the evening after things have cooled down, but I want to preface this by saying if temperatures are still hot, stay inside. Your garden will be fine with a few extra weeds, and the bio-diversity might help improve your soil. Of course, if you have field bindweed (known as morning glory to many) I feel your pain and understand the urgency to pull. Do your best to keep that under control by weeding early in the day.
I realize not all things can be done in the morning, I’m guilty of going outside mid-day myself to see how my garden looks. If you must go outside, here are some things to keep in mind.
Stay hydrated – This is good advice for every day, but especially in the heat. Drinking water is something I easily forget when I’m outside working away, so make sure you are mindful of how much water you are drinking. If you forget, you can always set a timer to remind you to drink.
Wear natural fibers – Linnen and cotton are great for helping to keep you cooler during the heat.
Wear sunscreen – Your skin is an amazing organ. Take care of it by wearing sunscreen to reduce the likelihood of sun damage and skin cancer.
Cover up – This may seem counter-intuitive, but if you have ever seen people who work outside during the heat of the day, they are normally wearing a hat, long sleeves, and pants. This helps protect you from sun damage, and can actually help to cool you down. If you don’t want to wear long sleeves or pants, at the very least invest in a good hat.
Work in short bursts – Don’t spend hours outside in the middle of the day. Instead, spend 5-10 minutes at a time and focus on the critical things. Everything else can wait.
Invest in shade – We got a pop-up canopy that is incredibly helpful on those days when I need to do some outside work. I just move it from bed to bed and it helps to shade me and keep me cool. It really does make a huge difference.
Listen to your body – Heatstroke is very real and can happen in less time than you think. It can also happen in cooler temperatures than you think. If you start feeling any symptoms like headache, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, or any of the other symptoms listed here, call your doctor immediately or call 911 (in the US). Don’t think you can tough it out. If you would tell someone else to get checked out, you should take that same advice.
I’m sure I missed some things, so if you have any tips, please share.
About your garden
Check your watering time – Hopefully, by now you know enough not to water during the day. If not, please don’t water during the day. Not only does this waste water because the water evaporates faster than your soil can soak it in, but it also can harm your plants. The best time to water is early in the morning. The second best time to water is late in the evening. In my experience, if you miss watering during either of these times, it is better to wait for the next day.
Check your watering frequency – You do not need to water every day. I know for some of you this seems counter-intuitive, especially if you are living in a desert like I am. Trust me, you don’t need to, and shouldn’t water every day. I live in a desert and only water when I need to. It is usually every 3 days if I don’t have a good mulch. With a good mulch, I can water every 4-6 days. Remember everyone, this is in a dry desert environment where we haven’t had significant rain in months. Pay attention to your plants and the soil and water when you need it, not on a schedule.
Weeds can be your friend – Yes, you want to pull things like bindweed since it can take over your garden. I’ve had some kill my seedlings because they grow so prolifically here that they grew up around my plant and pulled it down to the ground. That broke the stem and I lost the whole plant. I also pull other weeds like sticker weeds, etc. Just remember that not all weeds are bad. Some of them create a ground cover that helps retain moisture, some help draw bugs away from your food, and some just exist. My rule of thumb is if they aren’t hurting anything, why pull them? It is less work for you and may help your plants in the long run.
Mulch, mulch, mulch – Not only does mulch help retain water, but it also helps to control weeds. I am surprised every time I see how mulch helps my plants grow. This year because of the extended drought and excessive heat, I have even gone so far as to mulch my backyard. I did this primarily because the dogs have run several paths down to the soil and nothing grows there anymore. Also, If I water the areas that are growing, the dogs track mud all through my house. Ultimately we are doing two things by mulching our backyard. First, we are reducing the mud, second, we are helping the soil so we can eventually grow native flowers. Since they are native, they are used to extended periods without water. That means we can have some beauty and still do our part to conserve water. Hopefully, the straw helps them take root before the dogs have their way. If not, at least we won’t have mud in the house.
Cover up – Just like you, some plants need covering. One danger of excessive heat is sun-scald. I see this a lot on tomatoes, but tomatoes aren’t the only garden plant susceptible to sun-scald. Sometimes all it takes is a little shade. I will probably do multiple posts about what to plant and when, but in the interest of staying on task, I’ll just say if you are planting cool-weather crops in the summer, they need shade. Also, if you notice sun-scald, shade those plants too if you can. I personally don’t have any shade cloth, and if you don’t that’s ok too. I have planted some things closer to the house so they get some afternoon shade. You can also look around your house for those shady spots and make a mental note about what shade-friendly plants you can grow there. Make sure you are taking advantage of the shade created by your existing plants. You can direct sew or plant seedlings next to some of your summer plants and provide the shade they need until the weather cools down.
These are only a few of the tips I have seen or personally used. I am always interested in hearing what works well for others, so please feel free to leave any advice you have in the comments.
I want to end this by saying the best thing you can do to support your garden during excessive heat and droughts is to watch your garden. If you see signs of stress, there is a ton of information to help you troubleshoot and figure out what you can do. Above all though, take care of yourself. This heat is dangerous and pulling a few weeds or saving a couple of tomatoes is not worth your health and safety. Stay safe everyone.