Garden Survival Mode: What I Do When the Temperature Climbs
The heat doesn’t just knock gardeners back - it tests the soil, the plants and our patience. In this post, I’m sharing my survival strategies for keeping a garden thriving (or at least, hanging on!) during the brutal temperatures. These are low-fuss, high impact techniques that I use daily—from early watering to accepting dormancy as the cycle of life. Plus, I’m throwing a recipe for a hydrating drink to cool you off and use up some of that mint you have in containers. (It is in containers, right?)
Watering As Close to Sunrise As Possible
I water as close to sunrise as possible, finishing up by 8:00 am. I water the base of the plants, trying to keep water off the leaves as much as possible. (Full disclosure - Sometimes you just have to set the sprinkler up the night before and turn it on when you’re getting ready for work. It happens and there’s no shame in that.)
This keeps evaporation rates low.
Prevents leaf scorch
Gives roots time to drink before the stress from the heat of the day
Using Shade Strategically
I have been known to use broken golf umbrellas to shade plants, plant okra (that no one in the neighborhood or congregation needs) on the southern and western sides of the garden—it grows tall and shades the rest of the more tender plants in the rest of the garden.
I also will put the more tender herbs and any seedlings I have for my fall garden in containers that I can move around the yard/patio. Once the temperatures cool for good, they get plopped into the garden beds.
Mulch Like You Mean It
A 3” blanket of leaf litter, native mulch, or even cardboard! helps to lock in moisture —remember the mulch when you are watering. You’ve got to get the water to the roots to do any good. Mulch also protects the roots from radiant heat.
Accept Dormancy
Some plants just like to go quiet during the summer —and that’s okay. (I like naps too) It’s part of the ecological rhythm and the plants need it to come on strong in the fall. My tomatoes? Yep, they’re ugly right now. But, they’re hanging in there. Once the heat breaks, they will be off to the races and I will be picking tomatoes up until frost.
Closing Thought and a Fabulous Hydrating Recipe
Garden survival mode isn’t about perfection—it’s adaptation, observation and resilience.
