Keeping Plants Healthy & Happy During a Southern California Heat Wave  

Written by Kelsey W.

Southern California offers sublime weather for much of the year, but everyone knows the temperatures start to rise in the middle of the year and often reach scorching levels well into September.

For anyone growing a vegetable garden or flowering plants somewhere around their home, it’s imperative that those plants receive some extra care during the hottest months of the year.

And that special care doesn’t necessarily or only mean giving them extra water. While an extra drink or two can certainly help when temperatures rise, there are many other ways to ensure plants can survive heat waves or extended days spent above 90 or even 100 degrees.

SoCal residents in desert areas and the hottest pockets of the San Fernando Valley routinely see temperatures above 100 every summer, and yet plants still seem to thrive through the heat.

Let’s learn about some ways to make those plants feel a little happier, no matter how high the temperature rises.

Make Friends with Mulch

One of the best ways to make efficient use of water is to use mulch, which is also an excellent way to regulate the temperature of the soil.

When you apply a proper amount and type of mulch to the area around your plants, you can ensure your plants retain more moisture, as well as keep the temperature of the soil lower than the ambient air temperature.

There are a few things to remember about applying mulch to your flower or vegetable beds, especially when it comes to using it in ferociously hot temperatures. Consider the following when choosing and applying your mulch in the summer.

1. Choose a light-colored mulch. A very dark colored mulch can absorb a lot of heat, which may keep the soil too hot in the midday sun. Think about using a light brown or tan mulch.
2. Don’t bury your garden in mulch. You don’t need more than a few inches of mulch to regulate the temperature of your soil. Something like two to four inches is plenty.
3. Use organic mulch instead of plastic. Materials like wood chips and bark break down more easily and give the soil more nutrients than artificial mulch made of plastic.

One of the best benefits of mulch is that it makes your watering sessions more effective. When you offer your plants a healthy dose of water in the morning, they’ll have more time to drink the water because the mulch will keep it from evaporating so quickly in the summer heat.

Adopt a Summertime Watering Schedule

We’re constantly reminded that it’s important to save water with water-smart habits like planting trees and gardens that don’t require a lot of water and by installing native plants in our yards.

However, plants in Southern California may still need additional attention from your watering can. You probably don’t need to flood your plants, but you may need to make a few extra trips with your watering can or stand there a little longer with the hose.

Here are a few ways you can maximize your use of water in the summer and make sure your plants get a little extra when it’s hot.

1. Water early in the morning. The best way to avoid unnecessary evaporation of the water you give your plants is to water them early in the morning before the sun has a chance to bake the soil. Watering in the morning rather than the evening also gives the plants moisture to use during the day.
2. Avoid watering the leaves and focus on the base of the plants. Plants – at least most plants – drink through the water that meets their roots in the soil. They don’t drink through their leaves. Make sure to point the watering can or hose at the base of the plants to water them at the soil level.
3. Don’t skip a day of watering, especially if you have producing plants like tomatoes or peppers. Don’t risk the beautiful flowers from your plants or the growing vegetables in your garden by skipping a day with the watering can. Make sure your plants never dry out completely in the summer, so a heatwave doesn’t have a chance to stress them.

Tip: Consider installing a weather alert app on your smartphone that will notify you of any particularly hot conditions that may arrive over the next few days. You can then set a reminder on your phone or put a note on the fridge to give your plants some extra water on the mornings when the temperatures will soar.

Create Shade for Your Vulnerable Plants

Plant placement, especially for summertime growing, can mean the difference between healthy plants and dead stumps in your lawn. If you’ve ever had a plant that you gave constant attention to that seemed to whither away and die anyway in the summer heat, the abundance of sunshine could be to blame.

However, it can feel difficult to provide your plants some shade if you have a lawn that gets a lot of sun each day, or you’re dealing with a home or apartment where there aren’t any shade trees around. Do you simply forgo summer flowering plants and just opt for cactuses instead?

Cactuses and succulents are a beautiful and water-wise option, but you can actually create shade in your yard, on your porch, or balcony pretty easily. Simply drape some white shade cloth above your plants, and the cloth will diffuse the brightest sun of the day.

You can purchase protective covers from your local Southern California garden center, or you can create them yourself out of a material that you prefer. You don’t need to use really thick blankets. Simple diaphanous cloths will do nicely.

You can even use a strategy where you use taller sun-loving plants to shade your other less sun-loving plants. For example, a tall sunflower that basks in the glow of an ultra-summery day can help provide some shade to a nearby patch of begonias.

Don’t Forget Your Plants on Summer Vacation

If you’re leaving for a few days or a few weeks, you have a few options to keep your plants happy during your absence. Even if you don’t think the weather will reach scorching temperatures, it’s still important to keep your watering schedule intact.

Here are some options you can consider when you travel, whether it’s for a weekend or a few weeks.

1. Install a drip line in your yard. If most of your plants are in a garden setting in your yard where an irrigation line could reach them, consider installing a drip line that will give them drinks on a predictable and measured basis. You can use this line even when you’re home to help you regulate your watering.
2. Go low-tech with plastic water bottles. If you’re not in a position to install a drip line or you have a container garden, you can also take some plastic water bottles, cut tiny pin holes in the bottoms, fill them with water, and place their bottoms in the soil. The water will seep out slowly during your absence.
3. Hire someone to water your plants. If the weather is going to reach stratospheric temperatures, you might consider asking a neighbor or friend to come by to water your plants. You can also hire someone to come by and water your plants, just like you’d hire someone to feed your pets. Some people will do both!

The most important thing to remember about keeping your plants alive in your absence is to try to keep the same watering schedule for them when you’re not there. Your plants rely on getting water at a set rate, and making sure that the frequency continues when you’re gone is the best way to keep them happy, even when you’re not around to enjoy their blooms.

Grow Beautiful Plants This Summer with Green Thumb Nursery

Visit one of your local Green Thumb Nursery locations in Southern California today for advice on summertime gardens, planting, and keeping your home beautiful with new green friends. Enjoy everything the SoCal summer weather has to offer, even when the temperatures rise. Stop by today for plant inspiration.

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