Jul 19, 2021
Summer’s here! We can all feel the temperature rising, can’t we? Clearer skies and direct sunlight also means we have to be more mindful of prolonged sun exposure, and its harmful effects to our precious plants. Not everyone knows that taking care of a garden and keeping it healthy is as challenging as taking care of a furry pal. It gets even more challenging during the summer when new hurdles come along.
If you’re a plant parent, here are tips and things you should practice:
Inspect new plants
Whether you’re looking to buy new plants to add to your garden, or planning to relocate a potted plant into the ground, make sure to take a good look at it first. These may introduce diseases and harmful pests to your garden. Research before buying or relocating, find out how healthy ones should look like. Inspect the leaves, stems, as well as the roots to be thorough.
Eliminate Weeds
Weeds love the summer showers. They thrive and take over the ground during this season. Pull them out early, and remember to pull out the roots, too! You can also scald them (pour boiling water over them) to damage their ability to get nutrients from the sun. Another way to kill weeds is to use vinegar on them. This way, you can “starve” the weeds because vinegar dries out the weeds. Protect your wanted plants when you use this method.
Stick to a watering schedule
The heat is at its peak in the late morning to afternoons, and water evaporates quickly during this period. It’s best to water your plants at dawn or in the late afternoon to avoid underwatering. Do this everyday to keep your plants full and happy.
Maintain soil moisture
A simple way to maintain soil moisture is to add an ample amount of mulch to your garden soil. Mulch helps regulate the temperature of the soil, and can suppress the growth of weeds. Organic mulch also improves soil fertility because it decomposes over time. You may use grass clippings, dried leaves, used coffee grounds, and even shredded pieces of newspaper or cardboard as mulch. Shrubs and potted plants will need mulch in the summer, but bigger plants with deep roots don’t necessarily do.
Avoid overwatering
Sometimes, too much of something isn’t always good. In this case, too much water is unhealthy for your plants. Allowing roots to stay in stagnant water will cause the roots to rot, while also allowing diseases to thrive. Solve this problem by using the correct pots. Terracotta pots, in particular, have drainage holes and allow for water evaporation.
Prevent sunburns
Just like the human skin, leaves and succulents can also get sunburnt in long exposures under direct sunlight. In the late mornings and afternoons, water droplets on the leaves can magnify the sun’s rays and will cause leaf burn. Ideally, only the base of the plants should be watered to prevent this from happening. But if you’re sticking to you watering schedule, that won’t be a problem. Watch out for dark circles, withering and falling leaves in both plants and succulents. If possible, create a light canopy for sun shade in the garden, and relocate your potted plants in a shady area outdoors. Prune your plants to encourage new growth of leaves and stems.
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