How do I keep my garden happy during a heatwave?

As temperatures rise to unexpectedly high levels day-to-day you’re probably scrambling to flick on the aircon and keep yourself cool - but what about your plants?!

Chances are your indoor friends are already sheltered from the sun’s rays, but what about the record highs roasting your outdoor babes? Here’s our top tips for keeping your garden cool during a heatwave.

Water deeply, and early

Give your garden a good soak first thing in the morning before it heats up. This will ensure the plants cells are all fully hydrated before the heat hits. If early morning is a no go for you, water as it gets cooler in the afternoon - but avoid leaving foliage wet overnight. Avoiding wet leaves at night reduces the chance of leaf spot and fungal diseases.

Protect your most delicate and precious plants

Heat-sensitive plants like tropicals, flowers and veggies can be at risk of burning in dry high temps. A great help is to create a bit of temporary shade for them to ease the heat stress. Throw some shade cloth over these areas to reduce the direct sunlight in the hottest part of the day.

Relocate!

If you’ve got potted plants, a quick fix is to move them temporarily to a new location on very hot days. They will also benefit from a deep soak. Place them in a few cm of water and allow them to soak it up from the bottom for a good 10 to 15 mins.

Mulch, mulch, mulch

You’ve probably heard this from us before but the best way to beat the heat is to provide your plants with a good layer of mulch (5-10cm worth). It will work together with your deep watering to hold in moisture and reduce that evaporation, keeping your plants hydrated for much longer! It also helps to keep the underlying soil cooler.

Give your roots some seaweed

Products like seasol strengthens the plant’s cell walls and encourages strong root development - which will help your plants survive heat-stress! It also encourages beneficial soil micro-organisms. Apply once a week.

Don’t fertilise

When plants are under stress, even heat stress, it is not the best time to fertilise. Leave that for when the weather cools down a bit. Do you feel like eating a big meal when you are super hot and just need a glass of water ? Trust me, your plant feels the same, hydration is the way to go - it’s more about surviving those stressful conditions.

Apply these tips now and be prepared for summer, your plants will thank you for all your effort in protecting them.

You can explore our native and drought tolerant plants here.