GARDENING TIPS FROM KD & KATHY: JULY
The big issue for July gardeners is managing the heat and godawful humidity. As paid professionals, Tim and I don’t always get to opt out of braving the sultry elements. I’ve experienced heat exhaustion up-close and personal four or five times in the past decade, and can testify that it’s no fun. In 2001, Tim had one very scary bout of water-poisoning, a condition brought on by drinking so much water while sweating copiously that the body flushes out most of its electrolytes, resulting in temporary muscle paralysis. At the end of a particularly grueling July day spent wheel-barrowing 250 rolls of sod through 75 yards of sand, he bent down to adjust an irrigation head… and couldn’t straighten back up. We laugh now about him duck-walking to the truck and levering himself into it using his upper-body strength, but it really wasn’t very funny at the time.
The point is, high temperatures and high humidities are a dangerous combination.
My favorite way to deal with July and August in southeastern North Carolina is to stay inside my air-conditioned house excepting for dashing to the air-conditioned truck to drive somewhere air-conditioned. Alas, this is not always possible. So as far as practicable, follow these gardening guidelines:
- Do strenuous tasks early in the day. Avoid late afternoon sessions, no matter what you’ve read: it’s dark before the day cools sufficiently for vigorous chores.
- Keep yourself hydrated. Water and sports drinks are best—avoid sugary and carbonated liquids. Drink before you’re thirsty.
- Wear a brimmed hat. Yes, hats muss our hair, and some of us look downright ridiculous in them, but learn to grin and bear it. Loosely woven hats, like straw ones, allow air in; cloth hats, such as ball caps, can be dunked in water to cool off too-hot pates.
- Use gobs of sunscreen. In addition to keeping your skin from resembling a leathery raisin, they prevent the misery of sun poisoning. (One of the worst weeks of my life was 1973’s Spring Break in Miami, all but the first day of which I spent shivering in a darkened motel room, slathered in Noxzema and wishing I was dead.)
- Know when to quit. There’s no shame in deciding you’ve had enough for the day. I’m frequently finished after only an hour or so. If you become light-headed, nauseous, or headachy while working in the heat, get inside immediately. These are signs of heat exhaustion. If you ignore them and soldier on, you’re headed for heat stroke, which can be fatal.
Plants also suffer during July and August. Here are some tips to help keep them as happy as they can be under the circumstances.
- Keep them well hydrated. Water in the early morning to minimize evaporation. For example, Fitzgeralds’ irrigation system comes on at 3 a.m., and the drip runs again around 2 p.m. Most plants can survive only a limited number of severe wiltings without giving up altogether. (Hydrangeas are a notable exception, wilting every summer afternoon with no lasting ill effects.)
- When planting, be aware that “full sun” in Massachusetts doesn’t hold a candle to “full sun” in southeastern North Carolina. Take advantage of any shade you’ve got.
- High nighttime temperatures prevent plants from taking a break, kind of like humans trying to sleep in un-air-conditioned quarters. You can’t do anything about this, but it helps you temper expectations if you know about it.
- Scout for pests several times a week. Bugs, fungi and pathogens thrive in high humidities: the best way to deal with disease or infestation is to catch it early. I relearned this the hard way last week as my entire first crop of cucumbers and melons got lost to pickleworms.
- Most annuals and perennials would appreciate a hit of fertilizer now. If you haven’t fed your spring-flowering bulbs, do that now too.
- Keep up with keeping your weed populations down. This falls under the “strenuous work to be done early in the day” category. If you put off this onerous task, you will be SO SORRY when the weather finally moderates.