HYDRATING AMID A HEAT WAVE
Extra water, mulch and shade screens can help protect your plants in hot weather
With the heat wave of late, it's important to pay extra attention to your plants. Many are sensitive to extreme heat. Even plants such as tomatoes can be affected adversely when exposed to blistering sun. Sunscald is a real possibility and if you want to protect your plants from this damage, consider erecting a cardboard screen in front of the plants or purchasing landscape fabric or shade cloth and using it as a screen.
Extra water is important as well. Check your container plants for moisture regularly, and if you find them drying out during the day, alter your watering schedule to more than once a day. Adding a layer of mulch to the top of the container or around plants in beds will also help conserve moisture. Watering early in the morning is also a good practice as it gives the plants that extra moisture for the hottest part of the day.
Containers on a hot and windy balcony will need extra attention. And if you find your plants wilting despite the extra water, then using a screen would be most helpful.
Keeping your lawns seven cm tall during extreme temperatures is also a good idea, plus it saves you from having to mow as often in the heat.
Q I placed several weathered cedar window boxes on the south-facing side of my single car garage. The area they overlook is where I grow my rhubarb, otherwise, the ground cover is loose rock on top of heavy sheeting. I'm wondering what I could/should grow in those window boxes and would appreciate any suggestions. The neighbours would see something more often than I would, so maybe it should be edibles and not flowers.
A The first thing that came to mind was your boxes being perfect for an herb garden. Because the planters are only
12.5 cm deep, planting vegetables would be difficult if not impossible because they need deeper beds. Herbs, on the other hand, would be more tolerant of these confined growing conditions.
The fact the planters face south is ideal for growing herbs.
Start by filling your planters with a good quality potting mix. Resist the temptation to use garden soil because this will compact and create a hard pan situation. Suggestions for your larger planters would be a variety of herbs such as coriander, oregano, parsley ( both flat-leaf and curly varieties) and chives, which all grow great together. In the one smaller container I might consider putting in several basil plants and a rosemary. This way you can harvest from one basil plant, then move on to harvest the next while the first grows back. The second small planter might be good for an herb that is a little more aggressive. Mint or lemon balm on their own. Or you could just plant thyme on its own and let it cascade over the front of the planter for a decorative touch.
Keep the containers well watered. The southern exposure and shallow depth will cause them to dry out quickly, and herbs like to be moist. Drainage is a very important consideration when it comes to the planters. Ensure they have several drainage holes as most herbs will not tolerate having wet feet.
There are some good instructional videos on the internet
I've included with this column online.
Every week, Growing Things Outdoors runs online at edmontonjournal.com or, if you prefer an epaper format, at epaper.edmontonjournal.com.
Learn more by emailing your questions to filipskigerald@gmail.com, reading past columns on the Edmonton Journal website, or my book Just Ask Jerry. You can also follow me on Twitter @justaskjerry01