Keeping Your Garden Thriving During Summer Heat Smart Watering Tips & Vacation Plant Car

Here are some Pro Tips for helping your garden thrive during Summer heat, smart watering tips and vacation plant care.

Summer is when gardens are at their most beautiful, but it’s also when they’re under the greatest stress. Extended periods of heat, intense sunlight, and inconsistent rainfall can take a toll on flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, and container gardens. 

The good news? A few simple practices can help your landscape stay healthy and beautiful, even during the hottest weeks of summer – and even if you’re heading out on vacation.

Water Smarter

One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make is watering lightly every day. Frequent, shallow watering encourages roots to stay near the soil surface, where they dry out quickly.

Instead, water deeply and less often.

Aim to:

• Water early in the morning whenever possible.
• Soak the soil 6–8 inches deep.
• Allow the surface to dry slightly between waterings.
• Focus on the root zone rather than wetting the foliage.

Deep watering encourages stronger root systems that are better able to withstand heat and drought.

Mulch Is Your Garden’s Best Friend

A 2–3 inch layer of mulch helps:

• Reduce moisture loss from the soil
• Keep roots cooler
• Suppress weeds that compete for water
• Improve soil quality over time

Just remember to keep mulch a few inches away from tree trunks and plant stems to prevent rot. Avoid “volcano” mulching. 

Give Container Plants Extra Attention

Container gardens dry out much faster than plants growing in the ground.

During periods of extreme heat:

• Check containers daily.
• Water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom.
• Group pots together to create a more humid microclimate.
• Move decorative containers into afternoon shade if possible.

Large containers retain moisture longer than small ones, making them a good choice for sunny patios.

Know the Signs of Heat Stress

Plants often tell you when they’re struggling.

Watch for:

• Wilting during the morning hours
• Brown or crispy leaf edges
• Flower drop
• Yellowing foliage
• Premature fruit drop

Some plants naturally wilt during the hottest part of the afternoon and recover in the evening. If they remain wilted the next morning, it’s time to water.

Heading Out of Town? Prepare Before You Leave

Vacations are wonderful, but your garden doesn’t take time off.

Follow this checklist before you leave on your adventure:

• Water all landscape beds deeply one to two days before departure.
• Water containers thoroughly the morning you leave.
• Harvest ripe vegetables and remove spent flowers.
• Add fresh mulch if needed.
• Move hanging baskets and containers into partial shade.
• Ask a trusted friend or neighbor to water high-priority plants if you’ll be gone for more than a few days during hot weather.

For longer trips, consider installing a simple drip irrigation system or using watering timers to keep moisture consistent.

Help Protect Plants with Wilt-Pruf®

If you’re planning a vacation or expecting a stretch of hot, dry weather, products like Wilt-Pruf® – available in our Garden Center in the ready-to-use 32 ounce trigger sprayer – can provide an extra layer of protection for many ornamental plants.

Wilt-Pruf is an antitranspirant made from natural pine resin that forms a thin, flexible coating on plant foliage. This coating helps slow moisture loss through the leaves without harming the plant when used according to label directions.

Gardeners commonly use Wilt-Pruf on:

• Newly planted shrubs
• Evergreens
• Roses
• Hydrangeas
• Ornamentals
• Container plants that may dry out quickly
  

While Wilt-Pruf is not a substitute for watering, it can help reduce plant stress by slowing water loss during periods of heat, wind, or temporary drought, including while you’re away on vacation.

For best results, apply before plants become drought-stressed and follow all label directions carefully.

PRO TIP: Wilt-Pruf can be used on indoor plants too!

Keep Feeding Summer Bloomers

Annual flowers and containers continue blooming best with regular feeding. Using a balanced water-soluble or slow-release fertilizer throughout the growing season helps keep plants producing vibrant flowers instead of slowing down in midsummer.

Always follow the fertilizer label to avoid overfeeding during extreme heat.

Harvest Often

If you’re growing vegetables, regular harvesting actually encourages many crops to continue producing.

Pick:

• Tomatoes as they ripen
• Cucumbers every few days
• Beans while young and tender
• Zucchini before they become oversized

Frequent harvesting also reduces stress on plants and improves overall production.

Enjoy Your Garden,
Even During the Heat

Summer gardening doesn’t have to be a battle against the weather.

By watering deeply, mulching well, protecting plants before vacations, and using helpful products like Wilt-Pruf when appropriate, your landscape can continue thriving through the hottest weeks of the season.

If you have questions about watering, fertilizers, mulch, products to help your plants handle summer stress, keeping your garden thriving during Summer heat, smart watering tips or vacation plant care, stop by our garden center. Our Pro Staff will be happy to help you choose the right solutions for your landscape.