Don’t let the heat be a reason to keep you inside and away from your garden when it needs you most. With temperatures always on the rise, your garden is going to need a little extra tender love and care during the summer months. We have compiled 5 tips to help keep your garden watered, beautiful and welcoming of outside visitors. Give them a read and don’t let your garden become a casualty of the summer heat.
Conserve Water
When it comes to gardening during the summer, watching how and when you water it is going to be of the utmost importance. Mulch beds made with organic matter help suppress weeds and retain moisture. Use drip irrigation whenever possible. Water early or late in the day to prevent evaporation, especially if you are using sprinklers or watering wands.
Stay Cool
There are plenty of ways to help shield your garden from the extreme temperatures during the summer months. Planting a tree that would provide considerable shade will drop temperatures by up to 20 degrees. Having an arbor built or installed with a quick-growing vine at the base is another quick and easy way to provide natural shade.
Think of the Bees
Bees and other pollinators are crucial to natural wildlife and even your garden. Their help in pollinating other flowers or plants aides in the production of edibles and the life of other plants. Including a selection of native plants that will bloom during the season will help to attract diverse wildlife. Annual sunflowers and zinnias are a great place to start for quick-growing options to help start attracting pollinators to your garden.
Think Outside the Garden
Combining diverse types of plants will give your garden a chance to stand out. An effortless way to do this would be to mix edible plants with ornamental ones. Dinosaur (‘Lacinato’) kale has pale blue leaves that can be planted in containers and combined with your garden annuals for a more distinguished look.
Get Inspired
Do you feel like your garden is lacking something special? Take some time out of your daily routine to visit some local botanical gardens. Visiting public parks with large areas of foliage, whether they are landscaped or wild, are a great way to bring some innovative ideas into our own garden.