Nursery expert Paul Nesrsta has tips on caring for plants during the hottest days of summer.
“I’ve been gardening for 50 years, and like all true plant geeks, I really enjoy helping people with their plants,” said Nesrsta, 66, a retired plant engineer at Maas Nursery, an eight-acre family nursery. at Seabrook which has a large inventory of trees, shrubs, vegetables and flowers suitable for growing in the Houston area. Nesrsta also helps lead gardening classes at the nursery.
Here are his main recommendations for maintaining a garden in the heat:
How to mulch
The most important factor in any season for all plants, including vegetables, flowers and herbs, is the type of mulch used, Nesrstra said.
Good mulch: Native hardwood mulch is the best type to use. It is made of crushed trees and forms a nice insulating barrier against the sun. This type of mulch does three things that contribute to plant health: it keeps soil temperatures low, retains moisture and suppresses weeds, Nesrstra said.
Mulches to avoid: You don’t want to use dyed mulches, which are usually labeled as black or red mulches. The color is a matter of appearance, not of the plant, Nesrsta said.
“They contain chemicals responsible for creating these colors,” he said.
Red mulch is particularly harmful and can harm plants, he said.
How much should you use: The mulch should provide a layer 2 to 3 inches above the soil. For most plants, mulch should be kept 1 to 2 inches from plants and should not come in direct contact with stems, especially vegetables.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, some plants grown in the summer—like the popular vinca and penta flower pants—are sensitive to excess moisture and need a 1-inch-thick layer of mulch on the soil 3 inches from the stems.
Get the right amounts of shade and sun
Growing plants in pots: Plants grown in moveable pots give better control over the amount of sun and shade they get, and the No. One tip is to position the pots so that they get some morning sun and shade in the afternoon.
Planting in the ground: Using a shade cloth can minimize direct sunlight. Shade cloths are made from a woven synthetic material that allows 50-70% of sunlight to reach the plant.
Nesrsta suggests forming a tent or awning-like covering that protects the tops of the plants from the sun between noon and 4 p.m.
Gardeners can also spray plants with kaolin clay, a substance used in making porcelain and other products that comes as an organic powder to be mixed with water. This mixture dries to a powder that coats the tops of leaves and reflects light, protecting sensitive foliage from the sun.
Water the soil deeply
One of the biggest questions gardeners have about watering, Nesrsta said, is how to avoid watering too much or too little. During extreme heat, you can never water enough, he said.
The main thing to remember, Nesrsta said, is to water deep into the soil and not on top of the plants.
When to water: In case of excessive heat, the best time to water is in the morning. At night, water tends to rest in the soil around the roots and on the foliage, which promotes rot and fungal growth and attracts insects.
Testing the Waters: To determine if plants are getting enough water, commercial moisture meters can measure the depth of moisture, or gardeners can simply stick a finger or something like a stick into the soil to see how far the moisture is. water has seeped in. If the wand or finger is dry, the plant is not getting enough water.
“It’s always very surprising how little water you put in the soil,” Nesrsta said. “You can stand there with a hose for 10 minutes thinking you’re drowning the plant, but what’s really happening is the water is flowing out.”
The right mulch will slow water down so it can be absorbed deeper into the soil.
Sprinklers are not the solution: When timed incorrectly, watering systems can kill plants by promoting root rot, Nesrsta said.
“People regularly tell me they don’t have to worry about (watering) because they have a sprinkler system, but all they do is put in enough water. there for the lawn to survive and to keep the surface moist,” he said. “The water doesn’t penetrate the ground at all and people tend to rely too much on sprinklers.”
The most effective way to keep plants hydrated are drip irrigation systems that allow water to slowly trickle down to the roots, Nesrsta said.
Do not be discouraged
Because growing plants in intense heat is challenging, one of Nesrsta’s biggest tips is to not be discouraged by failures.
“Every time it doesn’t work out, you learn something, and I learned to lower expectations and just relax and have fun,” he said.
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