Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting out, there is something you should know. During the hot summer months, gardening can be a real chore. While it may be tempting to avoid your garden altogether, allowing your year-long efforts to dry up into a wasteland of dead flowers and vegetables, you should know you CAN maintain a healthy garden during the summer. However, you’re going to have to be mindful of the factors that come into play in order to be successful.
First, it’s important to understand that keeping adequate moisture levels within the soil is extremely difficult when the temperatures outside are reaching over 100 degrees Fahrenheit on a daily basis. Your focus should be maintaining moisture levels in the root zone of your plants so they can flourish during the harsher months of August and September. Another issue to keep in mind is many states have water restrictions during the summer, therefore you have to get creative when it comes to maintaining proper water levels within your garden.
Seedlings and what types of plants you decide to cultivate during the summer is another big issue. Some plants simply cannot thrive during the summer and will be DOA the moment you get them in the ground, others may get to the seedling stage, but quickly perish due to the lack of proper climate control. Research is KEY if you wish to have a successful summer garden. Be sure you have the right location, climate and soil before you begin spending money or it could end in disappointment.
When it comes to fertilization, you want to be sure to fertilize every 4-6 weeks according to most experts and a slow-release lawn food is crucial so the plants and soil are consistently being drenched in nutrients. It’s also important to stay on top of your weeds because they grow more rapidly in during the summer months. Crabgrass can be a real problem for people living in more arid areas.
As you can see, summer gardening can be a very delicate balancing act and there are so many more things you have to consider. From droughts to flash flooding or insect invasions, the summer can be brutal on those who have a green thumb. However, if you get creative, there are so many amazing things you can do to make gardening in the hot summer months more tolerable.
If you’re looking for some fun and creative gardening hacks for summer, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 15 tips that will not only allow you to have a successful planting season, but can help you break out of the mold and try something new this summer!