Surprisingly, some of the greenest parts of our planet are
in the tropics (think rainforest) where it’s even hotter than Houston. So that
must mean that plants like the heat. The biggest difference between the tropics
and the desert is really moisture, not heat. So we can deduce that heat is not
our plants’ enemy, it’s the lack of moisture.
So the answer is just to water more during the summer and
your landscaping will flourish, right? It’s true that watering will help, but
you also must consider the amount of moisture in the air (called humidity). Watering
your landscaping can increase the humidity at the time, but it doesn’t last
long. The optimum time to water is in the morning because humidity is at its
highest and temperatures are at their lowest. But by noon, any moisture in the
air you created by watering will have evaporated and all that’s left is
whatever humidity is in the air for that day. Even thought the Houston area is
known for high humidity, it’s still not enough to nourish your plants. And
don’t forget about wind. When wind speeds increase, which is often at the peak
afternoon heat times, the moisture in the air is blown away. You’d have to accomplish
an awful lot of watering in order to offset these effects of nature.
What can you do to help your landscaping during the hottest
months?
- Choose
native and drought resistant plants. Look around at the plants that grow
in the Houston area, and you will see many that thrive in this
environment. You just need to be selective and smart in deciding what
plants are right for your yard. There are lots of native and well adapted
plants that can survive with normal rainfall amounts and little extra
care. Try to use them for the majority of your landscaping.
- Consider
compost. It can improve the nutrient and water holding ability of soils.
It’s a great fertilizer for any plants. You can add compost to the top of
your lawn and flower beds, and use it as part of the top layer of new
plantings.
- Mulch!
Soil without mulch on top gets hot and dries out fast. Even using rock or
gravel helps reflect heat and hold in moisture. It’s even better to use
organic mulches because they break down and feed the soil.
- Water smartly. Intermittent deep soaking is what most plants need. Check out our April 2012 blog on watering that contains lots of helpful information about watering techniques.
