What is too hot?
This will depend on the plants –
- Cool season plants like pansies, snapdragons, and veggies like broccoli, lettuce, etc. don’t like temps above 75.
- You will see those veggies bolt, (Go to flower and seed).
- Warm season plants like tomatoes, peppers, squashes, zinnia, impatiens, & annual vinca love & thrive in warm temps (75-90).
- But when we get in the mid and upper 90’s to 100 even those can slow production or suffer.
- Newly planted perennials, trees & shrubs too can suffer.
- The more mature a plant is the better it should be able to withstand the heat.
It’s hot outside – Should I water more?
- Not necessarily. Plants may look wilted just as a reaction to the afternoon heat, they may bounce back in the cooler evenings.
- If that happens, they don’t need water, if they are still wilted in the AM, they need water.
- If you just water without knowing how much moisture is in the soil, you may overwater them.
- Plants can temporarily shut down all their functions when we get to the high 90’s.
Solution: Get a water meter! AND Water deeply, not just during the heat spell, but all the time.
- Train the roots to go deeper for water.
- The deeper the roots go to get water the better off they are when the heat or stress comes.
- The top few inches of soil dries out much quicker than the deeper soil.
- This is true of all plant categories – annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees & veggies!
Remember plants are pretty resilient.
- Just like people – keep your plants as healthy as possible!
- When they are healthy, they will be more resilient when stressed by the heat of other environmental elements.
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Source: customer-service@bestyard.com in collaboration with Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado
