Extreme Heat Affects Your Plants

With the temperatures similar to fall this past week and the thoughts of Huskers football on people’s minds, we have to remind ourselves summer is not over yet. The extreme heat will soon return which could affect plants, flowers, and soil temperatures.  Dramatic weather changes can affect outdoor plants and flowers in many ways. It may also lead to over or under-watering.

Extreme Heat Affects Your Plants

How do you know if the extreme heat is affecting your plants? Some plants can take heat stress very well whereas most plants do not. The majority of plants tend to wilt when extreme heat hits them. The plant may lose many leaves in order to conserve water to keep itself cool, which can identify heat stress.

How to ensure your plants are protected in the extreme heat? On extremely hot days it is recommended to water your plants at least twice a day. This will help ensure they are not under heat stress. If your plants are newly planted it is important to make sure they are adequately watered each day, especially potted plants. Plants planted in mulch are less likely to be affected by high temperatures due to the mulch conserving moisture to keep the plants cool.