Marianne's Tip of the Week


 Help Your Garden Resist the Summer Heat & Drought


  


Summer is gardening season and a great time to add curb appeal to your home with colorful flowers and lush plants. But too much heat and not enough rain can turn your dream garden into a nightmare.  Here are some tips to help your plants survive the summer heat.




  1. Help your plants retain water by adding a thick layer of mulch.  Mulch helps keep moisture in the soil by preventing    evaporation. It also reduces water-thirsty weeds. 




  2.  Water your garden and lawn in the evening instead of the morning.  Daytime sun and heat increase evaporation.




  3.  Grow native plants.  Plants native to your area are generally more adaptive to the local climate and can withstand the summer temperatures and rainfall amounts common in your area.  Visit this site to see which plants are native to where you live.