Don’t Let the Summer Sizzle Kill Your Garden!

If you are like nearly everyone else, you’re busy.  Focused on your daily activities, you might turn around one day to find your plantings suffering due to the sizzling temperatures of summer heat. When the beautiful landscape that you’ve spent a lot of time and money on looks terrible, well, it’s yikes time. Don’t let that happen to you! Follow these Chicago landscaper watering tips to help your garden stay green and thrive when the heat is on!

1) Switch to Deep Watering

Avoid lightly watering your plants on a daily basis and switch to deep watering to help plants thrive and to create more drought-resistant. Letting the soil dry out a bit also allows oxygen to reach plant roots.  For more detailed information on deep watering, visit this link from Oregon State University.

 

2) Use Mulch

Mulch applied at a depth of 2-3 inches around the base of your plants helps retain moisture and keeps the root system cool. Mulching reduces the amount and frequency of watering, encourages beneficial organisms (like earthworms) and also looks great. You’ll also find you’re weeding far less often! To learn more about mulching, read our post on The Do’s and Don’t’s of Mulching.
 

3) Take Advantage of a Rain Barrel Drip Irrigation System

This system takes advantage of gravity and collected rainwater to deliver water to your plants’ root systems as needed. Read our post on the 8 Benefits of Rain Barrels, then visit YouTube to learn how to create your own rain barrel drip irrigation system.

 

 

4) Set Up a Traditional Irrigation System

Those who want to save time, water and money, while protecting their landscaping investment, might also consider the benefits of installing a traditional irrigation system with sensors. These systems deliver just the right amount of water to your landscape when it’s needed. Those who have them swear by them.  If you’re handy, you can install a traditional system yourself. If not, look to get a local contractor like Anne Roberts Gardens.

5) Water at the Best Times

Avoid heat-of-the-day watering, which speeds evaporation, and opt for early-morning watering. One exception to early-morning watering time is when temperatures exceed 90 degrees. At those times, employ additional “spritzing” – watering with a sprinkler for 5 or 10 minutes – to cool off plants and reduce stress during the hottest hours.