Tips for Preventing Heat Damage to Plants

Tips for Preventing Heat Damage to Plants

The weather is heating up again, and if you're a gardener, you know what th
at can mean for your plants. When temperatures soar, it can be very hard on many plants, especially your vegetables. Combined with longer days and more potent sunlight, plants' leaves and fruit can become sunburned or wilted. Soil also dries out more quickly, depriving roots of moisture and rapidly killing delicate plants and seedlings. Furthermore, certain gardening habits can also promote heat damage to plants. In order to protect your garden this summer, consider these tips for preventing heat damage to your plants.

Plant in Correct Sunlight

All plants require light, but not all have equal light needs. Some require full sunlight throughout the entire day. Some prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. Still others may need full or partial shade and will burn when placed in a sunny spot. Before you start planting, make sure you're aware of each plant's individual light preferences. This information is typically printed on the tags that come in the post.

Even different cultivars of the same plant may need completely different light requirements. For instance, if you're planting two varieties of hosta, one may prefer less light than another. One of the best ways to judge this is by the characteristics of the leaves. Variegation, thin and light-colored leaves often can't tolerate as much sun. However, most plants with dark, thick leaves can tolerate more.

Avoid Mid-Day Watering

When the day's heat is at its peak, going out and watering your plants may seem like the right thing to do. After all, you certainly wouldn't like to be stuck out in those temperatures without a cool drink of water. Why would your plants? Unfortunately, this is one of the worst things you can do for them. When it's very hot and the sun is beating down, any water that gets on the foliage will essentially steam it, causing it to wilt. Also, getting the soil wet during these periods will speed evaporation, causing the soil to actually lose water.
It's strongly recommended that you restrict waterings to early in the morning or after sunset. This reduces heat stress on the plants while also giving the water time to deeply penetrate the soil before the sun returns. If morning or evening waterings aren't compatible with your schedule, consider installing a soaker hose, sprinkler or drip irrigation system on a timer.

Utilize Natural Shade Sources

There are many spectacular and intriguing shade-loving plants available, but if your garden is lacking any sort of protection, you know that buying them would only result in their inevitable doom. Instead of simply passing up plants that you'd otherwise love to have in your garden, try creating natural sources of shade. Shrubs, large rocks and ornamental trees are just a few of the tools you have at your disposal.
You can also take advantage of the northern side of your house, which tends to get far less sun exposure. Arbors are another option if you have limited shade. Growing sun-loving vining plants along them not only creates an area of shade but also produces a beautiful centerpiece for any garden.

Install Floating Row Covers

For rows of crop plants, floating row covers are the most preferred method of protecting plants from heat damage. These are made of a white, gauze-like lightweight fabric and are meant to be laid directly over rows of plants. This design reflects excess sun away from plants, is thin enough to allow plenty of airflow and is light enough not bend or break them. Incidentally, floating row covers are also a good way to prevent certain garden pests like squash vine borers, aphids, cucumber beetles, potato beetles and whiteflies.
Plan Ahead for Sensitive Plants

If you live in a climate where the spring and summer are particularly hot and dry, you may find that certain plants don't do well in your garden. Lettuce and many greens, for example, will wilt easily when grown in these condition. To avoid this, you could try growing them in pots. During the cooler parts of the day, you can take the pots outside for sunlight. Once it gets too warm or sunny, you can move them inside or to a shady location for safety.

Although many plants are sensitive to heat damage, this problem is easy to prevent if you know the facts. Use discretion when watering, take individual plants' needs into account and take steps to block the worst of the heat and sun. By following these simple tips, you can enjoy a gorgeous garden with happy, thriving plants.

This contribution comes from AgriAloe, an organic soil amendment company. Find out more about their product and other ways you can improve your garden soil at AgriAloe.com