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When it is cool outside it is easy to forget how incredibly hot the summer can be. We have our normal heat that I prepare for during the milder months but I am always surprised and some days panicked when the reality of the heatwave hits. For us, in the high desert of California, zone 8b, our summer is mostly between the temperatures of 95-105 degrees F and we have extremely low humidity. These temperatures are hot but this article is to help you and your plants for the extreme summer heat. I am talking about when the thermometer reaches a scorching 116 degrees F. This summer we had 2 weeks of that unrelenting heat. Dealing with temperatures over 110 degrees F are a whole different ball game than our normal summer weather. I really hope there are some tips in here that will help you out.
Tip #1: Shade!
Shade is so important during the summer! Please remember we are talking about temperatures over 110 degrees F. What this means is that the afternoon full sun is really beyond hot for some plants. Even plants that are labeled for full sun may not be able to handle it until they are well established and even then they most likely would enjoy a break from the afternoon sun and enjoy some shade.
There are a few ways to provide shade for your plants. The first way to provide shade is with shade cloth. This material has become invaluable in the desert. We have an old carport that we converted into a shade covering for our plants. These plastic covered metal hoops (paid link) are also helpful for providing something for you to attach your shade cloth to. Frames can be made out of PVC pipe, wood or rebar and placed around your plants. In a pinch you could even use tomato cages. Get creative, you just need something to attach the shade cloth to so the wind will not blow it away. The shade cloth I have purchased is 70%. I would use any percentage of shade coverage you are comfortable with but I would not go less than 30%. Shade cloth can be purchased at most hardware stores, garden centers or Amazon.
The next way to provide shade during extreme heat would be to use cardboard. We all have a lot of it and it can be really useful in the garden. Some of your tender plants would benefit from using pieces of cardboard to shade them from the afternoon sun. I would not use this all summer but when you need your plants to get through a heatwave, cardboard is a great option.
Lastly, don’t forget shade from trees or taller shrubs. This type of shade is nice because it would still offer filtered light for the smaller plants. If needed, during the heatwave you can move your potted plants under your trees and shrubs. The tree and shrubs will help to cool the soil around the entire area and help protect your potted plants from the heat of the day.
Tip #2: Mulch
The more you can mulch the better. There are so many mulch options out there to choose from: straw, compost, wood chips, just to name a few. Find the mulch that works best for you and spread around as much of it as you can. I have noticed a huge difference in my plants and water usage with using mulch. I have read that the recommended depth for mulch is approximately 3”. I was only able to add about an inch to my planter but still noticed a huge difference than if I had no mulch at all. Just add as much as you can, any amount will be helpful.
Mulch will help get your plants through the extreme heatwave because it will hold in the water and not allow it to evaporate as quickly. This will help you not have to water as much and provide cooler soil during the hot afternoon.
Don’t forget to add mulch to your potted plants. These plants will dry out quicker than plants that are in the ground. A layer of mulch will help tremendously on retaining moisture for your plants.
Tip #3: Water
Water! The main thing about getting through a heatwave is to remember that watering will be your number 1 chore whether you like it or not. The heat is not forgiving and unfortunately even missing one watering could cause you to lose a plant.
Make sure your pots are well drained. You are going to be watering a lot in the summer and you don’t want a pot that doesn’t drain well to cause root rot with your plants.
Some plants are just going to have to be watered twice a day during the heatwave. Once the heatwave is over you can return to your regular watering schedule.
In the cooler months install as much drip irrigation as you can. This is a project you will thank yourself for during the hot months. The drip irrigation will save you a lot of time from hand watering, it will give you more freedom during the summer and will give your plants a deeper watering. The deeper watering will help your plants from not drying out as quickly and not need to be watered as much, especially if you have added mulch like suggested in Tip #2.
Tip #4: Varieties that Handle the Heat
This is a tough one because the plant labels cater to hardiness zones. These zones are designed around the plants cold hardiness, not their heat tolerance. Rick wrote an informative article about this if you would like to learn more about it.
Experience is going to be the best way to choose plants that will survive the extreme summer heat. Your personal experience and talking with others in your area will help you decide what will work best for you. I have written an article about what plants were blooming for me during the month of July for reference. Don’t be afraid to try new plants and varieties to figure out what works in your yard and with your care.
Take notes on what works and doesn’t for you. It is easy to get caught up in the beauty of spring at the garden center and forget what will turn crispy in the summer and what actually handles the intense summer sun.
Tip #5: Accept Loss
The last tip is to accept loss. There will be a time that you are just busy and can not water at your normal time and that could cause some plants to give up but most of the time you are going to do everything correctly and they die anyways. When this happens, do not beat yourself up over it. Some plants, no matter what, can not take the heat. Some plants can handle the heat just fine but not for an extended amount of time. Sometimes you have a plant that started the summer weak and the extreme heat was just too much for it to handle. Again, this is not your fault it happens to all of us. There is a meme I like to think about that really applies here, “You really are a great gardener, that plant should have tried harder.” It is funny and I really think it applies at times.
Bonus Tip: How to Help You Stay Cool
After talking about all the things to help our plants get through the heat, we need to talk about getting ourselves safely through the heat while taking care of our plants.
First, wear flip flops while watering. Why? Because you can easily cool your feet down while watering with flip flops on. According to the Red Cross you can quickly cool yourself down by putting your hands and/or feet in cool water. This cools you down quickly because wrists and ankles have a lot of blood vessels close to the skin. As I water I will sprinkle my feet and feel so much better. I know it sounds really weird but it works.
Try to water in the morning or evening. These times are typically cooler and hopefully you will not overheat while you are taking care of your plants.
If you can stay in the shade and have seating around really helps. I have a watering routine that I follow and I am able to stay out of the sun most of the time and I have places that I can sit for a bit while I give some plants an extra deep watering.
Stay hydrated! Do not allow yourself to stay out too long in the hot sun. I know you may only be watering your plants but with temperatures over 110 degree F you can dehydrate quickly and make yourself sick. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water.
Wear a hat to help shade your face, neck and shoulders. At this point anything to help break-up the intensity of the sun will help you feel better.
I hope these tips will help you and your garden during a heatwave. Take care of yourself, not just your plants!
Happy desert gardening and don’t forget to enjoy your garden!
Joy Simper has a full time job as a home schooling stay at home mom. She is the one that holds the house and yard together and keeps the kids in line. She enjoys gardening, including seed starting and propagating plants.