In the middle of June we hit the 95 degree mark – with the odd flirtation with a century. Some days there was little air movement and it just felt even hotter. It was simply not possible to approach gardening in my normal way. Getting up,showering, breakfast, pottering about, and then hitting the garden for 3-6 hours before showering again and unwinding. In the South , the productive time in the summer is up until noon, with some work process modifications .You could struggle to 2 pm but anything thereafter is plain foolishness.
As a senior, even a pretty fit one, the duration of productive work is a simple function of how physically hard that work is. Edging the lawn last week it was only possible to do ninety minutes, after which it was heaving chest, aching muscles and no fun. This lead me quickly to consider the best way to garden in this heat.
The self guidelines I have come up with are as follows
- start as soon as possible and finish before 12-30pm
- mix up strenuous tasks with easy tasks in a work session rather than start a task and see it through to completion
- drink a bottle of salts replacement every hour
- stop for a coffee break in the shade – cool down with a fan
- wear a hat,sunscreen, sunglasses, and long sleeve tops (preferably with some spf protection). The hat has a broad brim – as my dermatologist said to me “baseball caps lead to bits of ears being separated from their owners“.
- listen to your body, it is a better manager than a clock and task sheet.
- wash/shower as soon as possible when finished
As well as managing yourself in the heat, as you go about look at the plants – water is their friend. If they look stressed then water them, modify the irrigation – pots need daily attention.Don’t forget the birds – keep the birdbath cleaned and topped up.
Of course some jobs can be a little easier in the heat. Weeding using a dutch hoe is effective – cut through the roots and let the sun do the rest. Thinking about extending the flowering season by regular deadheading – an easy task – is something that can be done in the heat – 30 minutes ,not expending a lot of energy, gives a lot of benefit down the road.
The big downside to heat and humidity? Insects – flying insects – flying insects that bite. To date my preventative actions have not been totally successful. Work in progress!
It is only June – the 2 hottest months are ahead of us. I hope the plan allows the fun of gardening to be maintained – along with the garden.
AndAllenGarden 