
This summer has been HOT! We had to change our hours to ensure the safety of our employees, purchased extra swamp coolers for warehouses purchased special shirts and personal cooling devices for employees to wear and kept the freezer stocked with lots of frozen treats. Fortunately, we have not had any incidents and we hope to keep it that way. Our gardens are not so lucky. Here is what we are doing to give our gardens some relief.
5 ways to protect your plants during extreme heat
COVER THE EARTH. Spread a thick layer of mulch, straw, grass clippings or even cardboard around the base of your plants or across the entire bed if you are a raised bed gardener to keep moisture in and prevent overheating the roots.
WATER IN THE EARLY MORNING. One of the biggest mistakes we see people make from home gardeners to commercial farmers is watering at the wrong times. Watering during the heat of the day will BURN YOUR PLANTS!! Water early in the morning to give your plants a good start each day during super hot days.
SHADE. Use shade covers or some kind of block to protect your plants during the hottest part of the day. This is more difficult for commercial growers but even using cardboard as a triangle over the rows is an economical option. Use yard stakes to hold them down.
PROTECT YOUR TRANSPLANTS. Use shade of other plants or barriers to give them ample time to adjust to their new home.
GET A GREENHOUSE or build a hoop house with some kind of misting or cooling equipment to move the air. This is an option that requires a bit of an investment but if you rely heavily on the your homesteading crops, consider this a valuable investment.
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