Water Conservation:
It is important to know when to water and how much water to use for your garden. Only 2% of the water in the US is fresh water and we all need to participate in conserving water if we want to be able to have it available to us. Here are some recommendations that can help you:
- Only water in the early morning or late evening in order to avoid evaporation during the hottest hours of the day.
- Use drip irrigation (in-ground water hose), whenever possible in order to deliver the water directly to the roots.
- Use water-holding polymer gel when planting perennials. You could avoid watering as often when using these water holding crystals.
- In order to keep the soil cool and moist, add 1-3 inches of mulch to your garden.
- Plant drought-tolerant plants along with native plants and trees.
Stay Cool in Your Yard:
Trees and bushes can help cool your yard naturally and can also help your gardening efforts when planting foliage that grows better in shade or part-shade. The following are some suggestions that can assist:
- Plant new trees around your deck or patio.
- Move your patio furniture under existing trees.
- Build an arbor and plant quick-growing vines at the base or alternatively, install a shade cloth to help protect your plants from the hot sun.
- Place or install a water feature, portable or permanent, like a pool, pond or fountain, that can provide a cooling evaporation effect.
Keep Your Garden Fresh
- Replace your tired looking plants and flowers with new ones.
- Move furniture and containers around for an updated look.
- Cut back trailing annuals like million bells and/or petunias by half increase the water-soluble bloom booster fertilizer for a new flush of color in the summer.
- Add herbs and vegetables to containers to mix it up a bit.
- Tackle your updates or big garden projects while the weather is good, and please contact us if you need assistance or just some inspirational ideas.