Preparing Plants for Summer

Summer heat can be hard on ornamental plants.

Great mulching materials await you at every turn… in your home, and backyard. Pine bark, pine needles and, even better, compost from your compost pile.

Georgia's hot summer days are often hard on ornamental landscape plants... which makes it harder on you because the plants require more of your attention.

Water is important…

During the summer, water is extremely important for the survival and growth of your plants. It may not be practical or desirable to water your plants continuously...so, you will need to conserve whatever moisture there is available.

To conserve moisture…

The best way to conserve moisture is by mulching the plants... especially new ones. Mulch acts as a soil insulator...it protects the soil from the sun and wind...so, the mulched soil is cooler than unmulched soil and usually stays at a more constant temperature.

More mulch, please…

Also, mulches break the force of rain and irrigation water and tend to prevent erosion, soil compaction and crusting. If you're looking for some good mulching materials...you might try a three to six-inch layer of pine bark, pine needles or partially composted leaves.

Get your plants ready for summer before summer arrives...if you would like more information about preparing your plants for summer contact your local county Extension office.