This past summer has been extremely
hot and, in my area, the average temperature has been in the 100s with a heat
index of 108. The excessive heat has caused my city to have water restrictions
and we can only water outdoor crops.
I grow vegetables and herbs in
containers and containers do dry out quickly so keeping the edible plants
hydrated during a water restriction has been difficult.
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| In extreme heat keep container plants in the shade this will prevent the leaves from wilting and will keep them from drying out as long as you water them deeply in the morning and at night |
After a month of extreme heat, my
vegetables and herbs are thriving but I did need to be creative with watering
and I did provide them with afternoon shade which prevented the soil from
drying out.
For my container gardens, I utilized
wastewater from the water I used to clean my vegetables indoors in the sink. I also used rainwater that I had collected
in the barrels.
When I did have to use the hose to
water my container gardens I watered the plants deeply until the water drained
from the bottom of the containers and collected the drainage water to use to
water other plants. I watered early in
the morning and at night when the temperature was cooler.
All of my container gardens have a
thick layer of 3 to 4 inches of organic cypress mulch. The mulch is a great way to keep the roots
cooler and retain moisture.
During the peak afternoon heat, I used
my patio umbrellas to provide shade. I
moved all of my container gardens under the umbrella so the intense sun and
heat do not cause them to wilt and dry out.
If you do not have patio umbrellas you can
also set your containers under a shade tree or another shade structure like a pergola. My friend uses a shade cloth and a white
cotton sheet for her row covers.
Do your best to protect your gardens from the excessive heat, hopefully, the rain will come soon, and cooler temperatures.
