- When the temperature goes over 90 degrees; an extra dose of love and care will help keep your flowers flourishing throughout the summer.
- Check flowers twice daily for water, once in the morning and again in the evening. Some pots/beds may require additional water applications to fight the heat.
- Apply enough water so that the water is coming out the bottom of container, especially hanging baskets.
- If a basket or patio pot seems to be stressing and ‘going down’, do not panic!
- Flowers pots that may be struggling in the heat should be moved to a protected location to take off the stress. Water thoroughly. Then when it cools down, move them back to original location.
- Don’t get caught over-watering when temps cool down again.
- Keep up with your regular fertilizer regime.
- Fertilize every 7-14 days with our Jack’s Blossom Booster or Petunia Feed. When we water more, nutrients are washed out of the soil and flowers need that extra ‘fuel’ to keep producing.
- Prune and cut back straggly growth, especially from petunias, callies and verbena. This helps the plant put energy into new growth. Don’t be afraid to give your plants a little haircut. They will flush out again even bigger and better. A sharp pair of garden shears will be your best friend this summer.
- Is the location good for your plants? As the sun moves around in the summer, a patio pot that was doing fantastic in May is now struggling in the hot sun. Move your container around a shadier location and see if that helps with the stress. Or maybe it is the opposite – a fully leafed out tree may now be hindering growth of sunny flowers. Move to the sun.
- In the landscape, any newly planted roses, perennials, shrubs, or trees will require additional irrigation applications.
- Nothing is automatic about automatic irrigation systems. Check to make sure it is operating properly. In between automatic irrigation applications, supplement with a manual application of water from your hose to keep newly planted flowers from drying out.
More Hot Weather Tips
