The heat of summer is here! With temperatures set to soar into the high 90s and low 100s, it's time to get your plants ready to handle the heat and switch into summer plant care mode.
There’s plenty you can do in to make sure your plants survive the heat. Here are 7 of the most important summer plant care tips to get you started!
Give Your Plants High Humidity
Plants that like high humidity should be frequently misted through the day during the hottest parts of the day. If you don't have the time to do this (we are busy bees!), you can also fill a shallow dish with pebbles, fill it with water, and set your pot on top to create a little humid microclimate for your plants. This will provide humidity and help your plants survive this summer heat!
Water, Water, Water
With high temperatures, your plants are drinking more water than normal. Be sure to water early in the morning and late in the evening (right when the sun goes down). Watering during the heat of the day causes the water to evaporate before your plants can get the water they need, causing them to die quickly.
Provides Enough Shade for Plants During the Hottest Parts of the Day
During the hottest part of the day, be sure to provide ample shade for all of your plants. Use a canvas to put over your plants during this time. Those that are partial sun or full sun still need protection from the heat. They will get the sunshine they need in the morning and evenings when the heat won't do nearly as much damage.
To find specific canvases for your plants, visit your local nursery and ask the plant experts what they have!
Don’t Fertilize During the Day
Fertilizer is a plant's best friend, especially during the summer. However, you DO NOT want to fertilize during the hottest parts of the day! When your plant is in summer survival mode it's also in high stress. Because of this high stress, your plants are not looking for extra nutrients and aren’t prepared to make use of these extra nutrients. Introducing fertilizer into the soil will risk further stressing your plant. Wait until it cools down before you give your plants more fertilizer!
Don't Re-Pot During the Heat
Just as you don't want to add fertilizer to your plants during the hottest parts of the day in order to cause less stress on your plants, you don't want to re-pot during these times either! When you are re-potting you often need to trim away a lot of the root mass. When your plants are stressed and dry, you can actually cause damage to your leaves during the re-potting process and cause even more stress resulting in your plant failing during the heat of summer.
Wait to Prune
Pruning is a plant's best friend. In fact, plants love pruning! However, you don't want to do this during the heat of the day as you will cause more damage than good. Wait until early morning or late evening when the temperatures have dropped and the direct heat is gone.
Learn When Your Plants are Stressed
Knowing when your plants are stressed will allow you to catch problems early and help to save your plant. Summer requires a lot more attention to your plants and devotion of a lot more time. But it's worth it!