It's that time of year when temperatures are soaring which is why we bring you yet again some easy and practical ways to help your garden or house plants survive the hot weather!
Watering Efficiently
While you don’t need to water your plants every day, only watering them once a week can be disastrous. So here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Sensitive plants, e.g. seasonal flowers, need to be thoroughly watered approximately twice a week. Warning! Do not be tempted to over-water as this can deprive the roots of oxygen and cause fungal growth in the soil.
- In order to water efficiently, use a special irrigation system or hose.
- The time of day that you water your plants is very important. Late afternoon or early morning are the best times as evaporation of water before it hits the roots is minimized.
- By raking the soil regularly, water can reach the roots more easily, therefore being more effective for growth.
Soil Care
A thick layer of organic fertilizer (mulch) around the base of your plants protects them from heat (and cold) and also keeps the soil moist. This is particularly important during August in Cyprus when temperatures soar during the day. A layer of fertilizer about 3-5 cm deep will do the job. Organic fertilizer can be an easy and economical way to protect your plants if you use natural material like pine needles or even cut grass leaves.
Proper Shading
Like people need and want shade, so do plants. This is especially so if you are growing things like vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers). As a temporary measure, create shade by placing a large umbrella or old bed sheet over the area that they’ve been planted. In the long term, if you have a garden, it would be beneficial to grow some large leaved trees under which you can plant your flowers and other delicate plants so that they have permanent shade.
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