Watering in the Heat
Could it be that it snowed just three weeks ago? It isn’t even June, and it is already in the 90s in Denver.
Keep your new plants watered, but not soggy. If the tops of the plants droop a little, that’s OK Don’t we all droop a little when it’s hot? In the cool of the evening, though, the plants should stand at attention.
Established plants shouldn’t be watered every day. It’s a waste of water and it only encourages the plants to grow shallow roots. The best gardeners I know water their traditional plants, like lawns, roses, and peonies, every third day. My xeriscape plants get watered once per week, at most, during hot dry spells.
Container gardens are another matter. Since they dry out quickly, they should probably be watered daily.
Now let’s talk about you. Where you live, it probably cools off in the evening. This is a good time to garden. You might feel tired from working all day, but a few minutes in the garden will revive your spirits. Early morning is a good time, too, since it’s the coolest part of the day. If you water then, the plant leaves will quickly dry off. Watering at night and leaving the plant leaves wet for several hours can lead to mildew. Besides, it is less hot and windy in the morning, so more water gets to your plants instead of evaporating or blowing away.
If you must garden in the heat of the day, drink plenty of water. When the pope was in Denver in 1993, a lot of people passed out from the heat. I think out-of-towners, especially, don’t realize how hot and dry the West is. My father, who used to bale hay in Kansas, swears by drinking water, left outside to warm in the sun, to keep going. I prefer to drink cold water frequently, a little at a time. (You can, in fact, drink too much.) Then I go back to my work and think about something besides the heat.
Keep your new plants watered, but not soggy. If the tops of the plants droop a little, that’s OK Don’t we all droop a little when it’s hot? In the cool of the evening, though, the plants should stand at attention.
Established plants shouldn’t be watered every day. It’s a waste of water and it only encourages the plants to grow shallow roots. The best gardeners I know water their traditional plants, like lawns, roses, and peonies, every third day. My xeriscape plants get watered once per week, at most, during hot dry spells.
Container gardens are another matter. Since they dry out quickly, they should probably be watered daily.
Now let’s talk about you. Where you live, it probably cools off in the evening. This is a good time to garden. You might feel tired from working all day, but a few minutes in the garden will revive your spirits. Early morning is a good time, too, since it’s the coolest part of the day. If you water then, the plant leaves will quickly dry off. Watering at night and leaving the plant leaves wet for several hours can lead to mildew. Besides, it is less hot and windy in the morning, so more water gets to your plants instead of evaporating or blowing away.
If you must garden in the heat of the day, drink plenty of water. When the pope was in Denver in 1993, a lot of people passed out from the heat. I think out-of-towners, especially, don’t realize how hot and dry the West is. My father, who used to bale hay in Kansas, swears by drinking water, left outside to warm in the sun, to keep going. I prefer to drink cold water frequently, a little at a time. (You can, in fact, drink too much.) Then I go back to my work and think about something besides the heat.
posted by Lori Miller at 6:55 PM
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