With temperatures in the upper 90’s, it is rough trying to stay cool.  It is even rougher on your garden.  There are several ways to help your garden maintain its “green” this summer.

Tips for your Backyard Garden:
• Water less often. For most fruits and vegetables, thoroughly soak the soil, with about a half an inch of water, every three or four days. This minimizes the water lost to evaporation and encourages roots to reach further into the ground to absorb extra moisture, making them deeper, stronger and less vulnerable to drying out.
• Water early in the day, to give plants more time to absorb water before the midday sun dries the soil. If possible, avoid watering in the evening because plants that are damp overnight can be more vulnerable to slugs and fungus.
• Go straight to the roots, and save water with a simple drip irrigation system, which is essentially a hose full of tiny holes that delivers moisture to your plants at a slow and steady rate, giving roots time to absorb more water. Some systems can be set to run on an automated timer, which makes them almost effortless.
• Mulch conserves water and can be a real lifesaver for plants. A three-inch layer will act like a protective coating over the ground, holding in moisture longer so you won’t need to water as often.

Here are some tips for your potted plants that you have in your home or out in your garden:       
•          A Good Balance. Plants in containers can dry out quickly, but it’s also easy to over water. For a healthy houseplant, water whenever the topsoil feels dry and choose a pot with holes in the bottom to allow the excess liquid to drain out.
• Bottoms Up. Plants absorb water most efficiently through their roots. For best results, place a potted plant with a drainage hole in the bottom inside a larger pot partially filled with water. That way, the liquid from the larger pot will slowly soak up through the soil of the smaller one, watering the roots from the bottom up.
• Add some Moss. Hanging baskets look lovely, but they can dry out quickly. Try lining yours with Sphagnum moss to keep the water in. It’s available at most garden stores and it can look beautiful draping down from a wire basket.

So put on some sun screen and get outside to help your garden stay cool!

Article found at: http://www.homemadesimple.com/en_US/nbrcontent.do?contentType=op&articleId=ar072

Lindsay Silva is the PR/Marketing Intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

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