Summer gardening is a bit different here in the Livermore Valley. There are days the cooling layer of fog barely reaches the Oakland Hills let alone Livermore. So take some hot weather precautions for your garden to protect it from the withering temperatures. Glance through our gardening tips for some great ideas.
Watering
The blazing hot sun of summer and a warm afternoon breeze can pull the water out of plant life like air out of a balloon. Any plant, but especially newly planted ones will appreciate having water very nearby. Give new plants a good thorough soaking, making sure their root ball gets wet from their tips to their toes.
Building a berm or basin around each plant is especially helpful. You can see the difference between those that have a basin, and those that don’t after just a few weeks. Those that do – flourish. Build a basin which holds one gallon of water for one-gallon plants; 5 gallons of water for 5-gallon plants; and 15 gallons of water for 15-gallon plants.
Discourage surface rooting by providing supplemental deep waterings. We suggest three such soaks one in early summer, one in mid-summer and a third in late summer. Starting at the trunk lay a soaker hose on the ground and continue around the tree in a spiral fashion until you get to the drip line (the edge of the foliage down to the ground). Turn the water on ever so slowly and let it soak for 24 hours straight.
Water your garden in the morning. It’s best to water on the RISING temperature. It helps to prevent fungal and bacterial diseases in your garden. An exception would be on those extra hot days when early evening watering is fine.
MULCH! Mulch! Mulch! Spread 3 to 4 inches of mulch around shrubs and trees. Leave a six-inch area open around the trunk of the tree so it can breathe. Mulching helps retain moisture and keeps the roots cool.
Put shut-off valves on all your hoses. This way, you can turn off the water as you move from place to place.
Check the sprinklers. Replace damaged ones. Clean out clogged heads. Adjust so they aren’t watering sidewalks and driveways.
Use Polymer gel “Soil Moist” in your potting soil when planting sunny container plants. Soil Moist water holding polymer will cut your watering in half. It’s great for the plants to provide extended even moisture and great for you… less watering to do on hot summer days. This soil additive is a must in thirsty hanging moss baskets.
Water each plant thoroughly if in a container. At the nursery, we water frequently in the summer heat. The correct procedure is to flood the containerized plant until the water runs slightly over the top sides of the container and drains out the bottom of the pot.
How often do I water? This is a frequently asked question. You are the best judge because you know the surroundings better than we do. Test the soil around the plant. Water thoroughly if needed. Allow the plant to go slightly dry before watering thoroughly again. After 2 or 3 times of following this procedure, you will know the intervals of days the plant can go without watering again.
Remember, if there is a drastic change of temperature; either way, it will affect your watering schedule. As a rule of thumb, hanging baskets need to be checked once or twice daily. In hot spells, moving hanging baskets to cooler shade temporarily is not out of the question.
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