The extreme versions of summer are now here with average temperatures reaching nearly 40°C. If you're a gardener, then the minute the mercury rises so high, your prime focus should be on protecting the already existing garden plants from the scorching heat & making your garden ready for the upcoming monsoon.
To ensure your plants don't suffer from the extreme temperatures, here are a few gardening tips to follow and live by!
• Summer Gardening Tips to Sustain Your Plants: Gardening Activities to Do This Summer
1. Soil Solarization
2. Make a Garden Plan
While the heat is at its peak, you should start planning for the monsoon months as the new gardening season begins in June. Make a complete garden plan for the next year with accurate measurements and pinpoint the areas for all garden features like trees, shrubs, flower beds, your kitchen garden, etc.
3. Dig the Pits
Give your summer plants the care they need during the scorching heat and also make space for your upcoming monsoon plants! Make appropriate-sized pits for tree plantations. 1 x 1 x 1 m is the average pit size for all types of fruiting and ornamental trees. Make smaller pits for small trees & shrubs. Fill the pits with good quality soil & manure and make them ready for plantation at the onset of rains.
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4. Composting
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Take this gardening tip to heart because the most productive way of organic waste recycling is composting. Instead of burning or disposing off, the entire organic farmyard waste should be converted into rich compost.
a. Steps for Preparing Compost
- Make pit of 2 x 1 x 1 m (LBH) size in the higher corner of your garden. Expose it to the sun for 15 days.
- Apply 10% carbaryl at the base of a pit to avoid termites.
- Put a 20 cm layer of dry leaves followed by 3-5 cm of liquid cow-dung paste.
- Repeat these alternating layers of dry leaves & cow-dung paste till the pit is full.
- Thoroughly mix the whole content & put the final 10 cm layer of soil.
- Cover the pit with dry coconut leaves & leave it for the monsoon.
- The rich compost should be ready in 5-6 months.
5. Take Good Care of Your Indoor Garden Plants
Indoor plants should be kept away from windows & balcony sunlight. Use 50% green shade net to roof the young & delicate plants. Increase the frequency of watering of the whole garden. Daily watering & weeding is required for outdoor shrubs, ground covers, lawns & kitchen garden.
Also Read: Caring for Indoor Plants- Diseases & Treatment
6. Water, Water, Water!
Summer is the time to find authentic groundwater source. By getting proper permissions from local authorities; you can dig a borewell in your garden. The borewell can be a permanent & secure supply of fresh water for your garden plants. It is always recommended to use ground water for gardening purpose rather than river water or any other source.
Also remember to provide our outdoor or indoor garden plants with a continuous water supply as per their needs, as summer-time requires them to have access to a lot of water as well.
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Remember to plant some summer flowers and summer plants to ensure that your garden can thrive through every season, and remember to give your garden plants the right kind of care year-round!
