Feel that heat? We are breaking records – in the 90s through mid-July and New York on pace to use record electricity for air conditioners and fans! Whew! You’re hot and bothered, so remember that your plants are too and need as much water as you do.
Water twice: Once in the morning, once in the evening. Never water in the mid-afternoon because it’s wasted due to evaporation. Soak the roots, not the leaves. Leaves may look good when wet but this is more waste.
If you can, invest in a watering kit. These kits come with an array of hoses, tubes, and emitters, so you can hook it all up and add a timer for a worry-free solution. Also, soaker hoses will deliver water to the roots, where they need it, and not waste water.
Invest in self-watering containers. Our favorite, Ella Pots, have reservoirs at the bottom to allow for self-watering. The Earth Box is also a good solution for veggie gardens.
Hot Tip! Convert a 2-liter bottle into a watering device. On an extra-hot day I always put these next to my watermelon and tomato plants.
Soak! If you’re going away for a long weekend and have a lot of plants on a balcony or a very exposed area, a smart tip is to use a kiddie pool half-full of water to let your plants soak. You may also want to toss in a mosquito dunk to avoid creating a prime breeding ground for those pests.
Plants that Love and Hate the Heat
Plants like lettuce, basil and kale hate the heat, so cover them with cheesecloth for shade, then mist them in the mornings, in addition to watering. If you keep a careful eye and pay attention, plan ahead, your garden will survive the mid-summer droughts, and remain lush and beautiful well into the fall. Don’t plant lettuce, kale or collared greens in this heat --- If you want a nice green salad, wait until fall to plant. Oh and don’t forget asparagus and rhubard planting in the fall for a nice easy spring crop.
Tomato plants love the heat, and have a 60-120-day growth cycle, so they will grow like weeds in this weather. Warning! If the temperature is under 70 degrees, they won’t grow. If you’re thinking tomatoes plant them now!
Gardenias and hibiscus love this time of the year. Just remember that many of our favorite houseplants like the canopy and shade, and they can get sunburned like us. African violets, philodendrons, and ferns all burn easily. NOTE: If a plant does get sunburned, get it in a shady spot immediately! If the leaves continue to look bleached-out, you might want to trim them. Be careful, like you, a bad sunburn can happen in an single afternoon.
Some plants that rosemary, thyme, sunflowers, bougainvillea, sage and assorted succulents are very drought resistant – and don’t forget grasses. Again, some of the most vulnerable to heat are basil, lettuce, and kale.
Never had a Brooklyn lime or lemon? How about a fig? Citrus plants love this weather and prefer to be outside. Note that we sell mostly mature citrus trees (a year or two old) so you should get fruit this season. It does get dangerous for them around mid-October, so bring citrus trees inside, and you will have years of joy by practicing good care. Helpful Hint: When the temperatures are equal (70 degrees outside, 70 degrees inside) bring citrus and other edibles inside so they don’t get shocked.
A Final Note for Nosey Neighbors:
Holly in a row of plants makes for friendly neighbors. Korean “sky pencils” will give you a pretty barrier between you and your neighbor, creating more of a screen than a wall. Your neighbor will appreciate the beauty while you will enjoy greater privacy.
