How to protect your plants from the heat

While some plants thrive in a heatwave, others don’t cope so well with high temperatures. On top of causing soil to dry up, extreme heats can cause some plants to become weaker due to heat stress and some can even develop sunburn on leaves and fruit. Below are a few tips for protecting your plants from the heat this summer.

Water in the morning/evening

During long hot dry spells, it’s important to water your plants. It won’t take long for the soil to dry up in a heatwave, and some plants will quickly die off. While you should be watering your plants daily in extreme heat, you should avoid watering them around midday. The midday heat is likely to make the water evaporate faster. Instead, water your plants in the morning or evening (or both) when the air is cooler.

Wet the soil, not the leaves!

When watering plants, it’s better to water the soil directly rather than letting water trickle through the leaves. Some people believe that watering dry leaves will help to rejuvenate them, but this is not how most plants work. While some moisture can be healthy for your plants’ leaves, overwatering the leaves may damage them in hot weather. This is not because the water droplets concentrate the sun’s rays and burn your plants (another common myth) – it is in fact because excess water on leaves in hot weather can increase the risk of disease.

Use mulch on soil

Adding mulch to plant beds can have many benefits, from preventing weed growth to providing nutrients to soil. However, it can also protect your plants from the heat. Mulch creates a barrier between the air and soil, preventing the soil from getting as hot and stopping as much moisture from evaporating. If your plant beds don’t already contain a layer of mulch, consider adding some. You can shop for different types of mulch online. You can even make your own mulch.

Move potted plants into the shade

During the hottest part of the day, it could be worth moving plants in pots out of direct sunlight and into shady areas. This will prevent these plants from getting sun damaged. This could be particularly important with edible potted plants like tomato plants and strawberry plants, in which the fruit is likely to be damaged by the sun. Obviously, don’t keep these plants in the shade all day, as they still need some light.

Invest in shade cloths for sensitive non-potted plants

When it comes to plants growing in the ground or in raised beds, moving them may not be an option. An effective way to protect these plants from the sun’s rays is to add shade cloths over the top to filter out some sunlight. You may not be able to do this with every plant in your garden, so prioritize the most sensitive plants (such as leafy vegetables, orchids, ferns and violets).