Summer Plant Care Tips

The weather is sweltering and there is no end in sight so  Summer Plant Care is very important this time of year.  Here are our  top-five tips for helping your landscape survive and thrive this summer.

Summer Plant Care: Tip No. 1

Garden at dawn. It’s the only time of day where you won’t feel like you’re roasting in a sauna. You will still only have at most an hour to work, so prioritize. Obviously, the most urgent task will probably be watering. Don’t waste water on the foliage of plants, get to the roots and soak them.

Summer Plant Care: Tip No. 2

Be ready to water containers again. When it’s really hot potted plants may need water later in the day. This is especially true if you have some small containers. The more soil a container can hold the better.

Summer Plant Care: Tip No. 3

Don’t fertilize plants that are already stressed. Plants naturally stop growing in the heat in order to conserve moisture. Granular fertilizer pulls moisture out of the soil. Liquid fertilizer encourages the plant to grow more leaves and this uses more water. So unless you want to water every day, don’t fertilize right now.

Summer Plant Care: Tip No. 4

Cut down on mowing and mow on high settings. Cutting the tips off grass leads to a major loss of moisture. Let the grass grow to at least three inches. Fescue grass will still need watering, but if you cut back on mowing, your lawn will need less.

Summer Plant Care: Tip No. 5

Keep a look out for spider mites. They suck moisture out of plants and multiply rapidly in the heat. Conifers are particularly vulnerable. Spider mites attack the undersides of leaves first so be on the lookout. They can be killed by insecticidal soap or oil, but don’t spray when it’s over 80 degrees. Spraying when it’s hot will burn plants, so do it in the early morning.