Beat the heat. Keep your garden green in hot weather

Summer has officially started, and we know the heat and dry weather can be brutal.  But there are ways you can protect your Summer garden. 

To keep plants healthy, you should water your garden once or twice a week with an inch of water.

“The equivalent to one inch is if you get a tuna can or cat food can and stick out wherever you are watering it should fill up,“ says nursery employee Kenny Watkins.

The next question: When to water?  It is best to water your plants in the morning.  That way you can ensure your plants have water through the hottest part of the day, and morning watering also helps to prevent fungus problems.

“A customer brought it back because she said that it just wasn’t working out for her and it was just all laid over, so I watered it and it came back to life.  That was all it needed,“ says nursery employee Jolene Watkins while tending to a plant.

That brings us to our next summer garden tip…Mulch.  Mulch helps keep the soil moist and can also help prevent weeds.

“It retains moisture and this time of year you can get pesky weeds that will be hard to get rid of and mulch will help prevent that,“ says Kenny Watson.

Here’s one more way to help your summer garden flourish…Fertilizer.  This time of year, choose one that will release slowly and less concentrated.  That keeps the fertilizer from burning off in the summer heat.

The biggest mistake homeowners make when it comes to their garden is not asking for help.  Don’t be shy, get an expert opinion.