The summers are no longer those of the past, it is now clear to everyone. Very high temperatures, weeks without a drop of water, sunlight that beats like never before: if you are noticing dry flowers, leaves that crown or fill with brown spots, your plants are launching alarm signals. And they are not to be ignored.
If you do not intervene in time, the risk is that it is completely drying out. But there is some remedy. It is enough to know two or three simple but fundamental precautions. Nothing complicated, just a little more attention and some strategy to put into practice right awaywithout waiting for it to be too late.
Water when needed, not when you remember
The most common mistake? Take the watering can in random hand, maybe in the middle of the day. A gesture that seems good, but that actually risks doing more bad than well. When the sun is high and the heat is already at most, the water evaporates almost all before even reaching the roots. A real waste, as well as a mockery for thirsty plants.
Better to wake up early, or do it late in the evening, when the ground is less hot and can retain humidity. It is in those moments that plants manage to really absorb water without suffering.
Nebulize, yes – but with criterion
Another useful move, especially if you have plants that are all day under the sun, is spraying some water on leaves and stems. But without exaggerating. A slight nebulization in the hottest hours can give some relief, reduce water stress and – if done well – help to avoid the notorious sunglasses.
Watch, though: do not transform the plant into a swimming pool. Stagnant water, especially on hairy leaves or in humid environments, can become a wedding invitation for mold and fungal diseases.
Direct light is sometimes too much. Move, cover, repair.
Many plants love the sun, of course. But with 35 or 40 degrees in the shade, even the most resistant begin to yield. The advice here is trivial but it works: if you can, move the vases in a more shady area in the central hours. Sometimes it takes little: a wall that shades, a more sheltered corner, a breathable sheet. The important thing is to prevent leaves and flowers from being cooked by the direct sun.
If, on the other hand, you have plants in the ground and you cannot move them, evaluate a light coverage – even an old sheet or a jute sheet can be fine. The important thing is that it does not block the air, but reduces the light a little.
Paccematic: if you don’t do it, you are throwing away water
The mulch is not a habit of organic horticulturists. It is an ancient, useful, and also economic technique. Just cover the soil around the plants with a little organic material – dry leaves, cut grass, cortex, even the straw of the old cartons for the eggs. You certainly have something already in the garden or at home.
This coverage serves to protect the roots from heatslow down the evaporation of the water and prevent the sun from “cooking” the ground. In addition, as the mulch decomposes, it feeds the ground. A perfect cycle, which reduces the need for watering and improves the health of the plant.
Avoid pruning: each leaf is shaded
Summer is not the right time to take the shears in hand. Those branches, those leaves that maybe seem in excess, are actually a precious barrier against the sun. They protect the heart of the plant, shade the roots, slow down evaporation.
If you really have to cut something, do it only in case of true need. No “beauty” pruning when the thermometer scores 40. Autumn is waiting for autumn.
Remove only the dry. But do it well
The only exception to the non-poting rule concerns the parts already death: burned leaves, dried flowers, branches now gone. Those yes, it is better to remove them. Leaving them there means inviting diseases, mushrooms and parasites to take home in your plant.
Use your hands or clean and well sharp scissors, and be careful not to tear too aggressively. The plant is already under stress, you don’t need to add more trauma.
One last thing (but important): if you go on vacation, organize the watering
We do not wait for the last day to ask ourselves “And now who waters?”. If you move away for a few days, organize a do-it-yourself drop system (perforated bottles or capillary cords), ask a neighbor of trust, or reason about plants more resistant to drought, such as fatty, aromatic and Mediterranean plants.
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