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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2019-05-09, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019. Home and Garden 2019 Heat waves put flowers, outdoor plants in jeopardy MS –Heat waves are an inevitable part of summer in many places across the globe. While humans can escape indoors to air-conditioned rooms when heat waves hit full swing, flowers planted around a property have no such luxury, putting their survival in jeopardy whenever the mercury rises to especially steamy heights. Wilted flowers that have succumbed to the summer sun are a sight many gardening enthusiasts can recognize. But there are ways to keep flowers safe and vibrant during periods of extreme heat. • Water at the appropriate times of day.The National Gardening Association (NGA) in the United States notes that it’s best to water in the early morning and evening because less water will be lost to evaporation during these times of day than during the afternoon, when temperatures tend to be at their hottest. • Choose the right watering method.It’s not just when but also how you water that can affect flowers during summer heat waves. Aboveground sprinklers might be great for lawns, but the NGA notes that such sprinklers can encourage the spread of disease on certain plants, including roses. Many gardening professionals recommend soaker hoses when watering flowers because they promote deep watering that can help the plants withstand the summer heat. If you must use an overheard watering system, set the timer so plants are watered in early in the morning or evening. • Routinely check the soil moisture.Soil moisture can help gardeners determine if their flowers have enough water to withstand the heat. The NGA advises gardeners to dig a 12-inch-deep wedge of soil from their gardens to determine its moisture levels. If the top six inches of the soil is dry, water. If that area is still wet or moist, the plants have enough moisture to withstand the heat. Check these moisture levels more frequently during heat waves than other times of year. • Avoid overwatering.Novice gardeners may be tempted to water more frequently when they see wilted leaves on their flowers. But wilted leaves are not necessarily indicative of suffering plants. Plants release moisture to protect themselves from excessive heat, and that release of moisture can cause leaves to wilt as the plants try to protect themselves by providing less surface area that can be exposed to the sun. So long as soil moisture levels are healthy, the flowers should be fine, even if their leaves have wilted. No gardener wants to see their flowers succumb to the summer heat. Fortunately, there are many ways to help flowers survive heat waves. You can’t pass on TenPas, where the welcome mat is always out for You! 122 Main Street East, Listowel ON N4W 2B6 519-291-4440 Fax 519-291-4223 tenpas@bellnet.ca www.tenpasdecorcarpetonelistowel.com TENPAS DECOR Flooring • Wallcoverings • Paint • Window Treatment TENPAS DECOR PARA PAINT SPRING SAVINGS Spring is here and TenPas Décor is bursting with colour! Talk to the experts at TenPas Décor and let them help you choose that perfect colour for your painting project. Buy 1 gallon of PARA Ultra and or Premium Interior paints and get one gallon at 50% off. The brand that Scott McGillivary trusts for his own home. P A R A P AINT SP R I N G S A V I N G S S A L E • P A R A P A I N T S P R I N G S A V I N G S S A L E • 50 % OFF MAY 15-2 5 Custom made furniture, kitchens, vanities, wood trim and much more...designed to fit your home. 41496 Moncrieff Road Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 Laverne Ropp 519-441-0802 Jeff Kuepfer 519-441-7998 Beating the heat From watering at the right time to watering the right way, there are methods that gardeners can use to help their flowers and plants beat the heat when it comes to unseasonably warm temperatures. (MS photo)