In the Garden with Pat Rubin

Bee garden writer Pat Rubin writes about everything that grows, from flowers and trees to vegetables and lawns. Pat volunteered for several years as a Placer County Master Gardener and has written about gardening for many national and regional publications. In addition to gardening, she spends time raising and showing miniature horses and miniature donkeys.

In the Garden will include news, events, advice and other gardening tidbits. Pat will also answer reader questions.

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July 2, 2007

Heat, water and plants

Every July Mother Nature treats Northern California to long patches of blazing hot, intensely sunny weather. Temps can start in the 60s overnight, then shoot up to 90 by 9 a.m., and 100 by 10 a.m., and hit 106 by late afternoon. You can literally cook an egg on the sidewalk.

As usual, we’re in for some hot weather this week. Weather reports show temperatures of 104 and 105 degrees for the first week of July.
Gardeners welcome the extra heat Sacramento streets and building collect during the winter. It keeps freezing temperatures at bay. Come July, it’s no longer a blessing, but the bane of a gardener’s existence. You have to plan ahead if you’re going to save your vegetable garden, your flowers, trees, and lawns.

Here are a few tips:

1. Strong plants can withstand difficulties and stresses (like heat) better than weakened plants. Make sure plants aren’t stressed from lack of water before the extreme temperatures hit. Some plants, like squash, even tomatoes, will wilt in the hottest part of the day. The plant is trying to conserve its resources. If it recovers easily by evening, it’s nothing to worry about. If it’s wilting in the morning when temperatures are mild, it needs more water.

2. Morning is the best time to water plants. Newly planted seedlings or young plants will need to be checked and sprayed several times per day.

3. Check the soil. It may be dry on top, but moist at the root zone. If the plants look healthy and strong, don’t feel like you need to water every day.

4. Potted plants are especially at risk mainly because pots provide little or no insulation and dry out quickly. The soil tends to be warmer than the ground. Black pots absorb heat, so the soil gets really hot in the sun. Group several pots together so they can shade each other. Use large pots - wider is better than taller - and put several plants in a pot. The lower growing ones can shade the soil, much like living mulch. Dunk the pots in a bucket of water to make sure the soil is thoroughly watered. If using a hose, water until water comes out the bottom, and then do it again. Fertilizers will leach out of the soil with the water, too. Use a time-release fertilizer, or fertilize plants with a weakened solution every couple weeks.

5. Put a piece of shade cloth or newspaper over young plants or plants at risk of sunburn. You’d protect plants from frost in the winter, so why not from scorching sun in the summer?

6. Mulch, mulch, mulch. It keeps the ground from drying out and baking.

7. Valley native plants, like blue oaks, manzanita and ceanothus, can survive quite well with little water. Don’t be tempted to over water them.

8. Pay attention. Look at your plants every day. If there’s a problem with drip emitters getting clogged or sprinkler timers not working, you’ll discover any problems before it’s too late to save the plants. Replacing dead plants is expensive.

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