Christie’s Blog

Mid June 2024

Here Comes the Sun/Heat

As I watch the weather for this week with 90+ degrees all week, I visualize what my perennials and hydrangeas will look like by Friday.  The answer is leaves will be crispy and some perennials may be dead, especially they ones I just planted in late Spring.

Here are some suggestion as how to cope.

1. Water as early in the morning as you can from 6am to 10 am. If your plants are drooping in early morning, it’s time to water.

2.    Water plants and pots at least every day and smaller containers daily.

4.  Watering leaves in am also helps especially with hydrangeas, because the leaves absorb water. Hydrangeas have wide leaves so water evaporates quickly.

5.  When night temperatures don’t get below 70 degrees funguses, powdery mildew starts to thrive.

6.  Don’ t fertilize shrubs or push plants to bloom when its this hot.  I am going to fertilize my pots when I see a run of weather in the 80s or low 90s.

7.  Don’ t plant anything new especially in the grouping this week it will just strain it to live.

8.  Put a little mulch, grass clipping or pine straw at the base of plants to help hold in water. (Mulching is to keep watering in, not weeds out).

Christie lives in Manakin Sabot , Virginia where she manages a 3 acre garden. Her blogs are written from her 35 years as a personal and professional gardener.