Beat the Heat Wave: How to Prepare Your Garden for a Sizzling Summer

The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and…the weather forecast has predicted a heat wave! Temperatures are expected to reach almost 100 degrees this week in Allendale, NJ. The scorching temperatures of a heat wave can be stressful for most gardens here but with a little preparation, you can help your plants survive and even thrive. Here are some ways to prepare your garden for a heat wave:

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Before the sun reaches its peak, give your plants a deep watering. This allows the water to soak into the soil rather than evaporate in heat. A layer of mulch around your plants helps retain moisture in the soil and regulate soil temperature.

At Rohsler’s, you can find watering cans, standard garden hoses, soaker hoses, tree watering bags, and many other watering accessories like AquaPots self-watering planters, EarthBox Automatic Watering System, water-storing polymer products, and Plant Quencher watering bulbs.

Pro tip: Be careful to not to overwater certain plants that exhibit heat stress, such as hydrangeas and ligularia. These plants may appear to be wilting even though they have been adequately watered.

Strategize, don’t fertilize

During a heat wave, plants are more focused on survival than growth. Avoid applying fertilizer during this time as it can overload the plant with nutrients that it can’t utilize and potentially cause damage. Pesticides can further stress already weakened plants. The plant needs all its energy to cope with the harsh conditions.

If you have fruit or vegetable plants nearing maturity, consider picking them before the heat wave hits to prevent spoilage.

Visit Rohsler’s for more tips

If you have more questions about how to care for your garden during the heat wave, the staff at Rohsler’s Allendale Nursery can offer personalized advice on specific plants and landscapes. Looking for heat-tolerant varieties? We can also recommend plants that will add beauty and flavor to your landscape, even during the hottest days of summer.