No one in my household likes to garden, no one. It is a solitary event for me and I have come to accept that I will receive no help or at least very little help where the garden is concerned. Once in a while I drag the kid out there and hope she will instinctively pick up my love for the garden, but I dont think its going to happen.
I am rather ashamed of myself right now. The garden, which gives so much and asks so little in return, has been neglected.
The garden doesnt understand when it is 96 degrees I have no interest in getting down on my hands and knees to pull weeds that suck important nutrients from the soil they share with the food-producing plants.
The recent heat has put a damper on my desire to spend time in the garden. One trip early each morning before the temperature resembles that found on Venus to harvest and that about does it.
Periods of excessive heat can damage my motivation but they can also put a lot of stress on the garden. There are some things you can do to alleviate that stress but it will require actually going out in the heat and, of all things, working really hard for an extended period of time. Oh, the thought.
Fortunately, my garden does not show any signs of heat stress even though I have neglected it. The torrential downpours that seem to be the norm these days have kept it watered and thanks to proper staking and trellising, the hurricane-like winds that seem to accompany every torrential downpour have not done much damage to any of the heavier, fruit-bearing plants.
If the heat has done a number on the garden, you will notice sunburned leaves that are crisp and yellow. Sometimes blossoms will drop and in extreme situations, even the developing fruit. To prevent further damage, water regularly and deeply at the roots. It may be raining at your neighbors but not at your place, as these storms we get are very isolated sometimes.
Protecting the roots of your plants with mulch is beneficial in times of extreme heat. A three-inch layer of mulch will also hold in moisture. Good, old-fashioned straw works well and is more economical than the more decorative mulches. As the straw breaks down it adds essential organic matter to the soil.
I purposefully position some plants close together so when they reach full size they actually shade other plants and can be helpful in periods of high heat. Since you cant simply plant a 60-foot oak to keep plants out of direct sunlight, consider using a beach umbrella or a pop-up tent.
The high temperatures seem to appear when a lot of plants are developing fruit. Side dress plants with compost or include routine watering with compost tea to keep plants well-fed as they begin to produce food. If you dont make compost yourself it might be a good time to consider the advantages. Ask your local nursery if they sell high quality compost or purchase compost tea.
If you are a seasoned gardener you probably know to take precautions so you are ready for the heat that will certainly strike in summer. For new gardeners, take notes and keep a journal that you can refer to next year or over the winter when you are craving the musky smell of summer soil. Remember what worked and what didnt so next years garden will be more productive than ever.
