It's gonna be a hot one today!!

With temperatures reaching around 100 degrees, there's several things you can do to get your garden ready. 

• Keep Plants Mulched.
 Replenish mulch in the heat. Adding mulch will help keep the soil and roots cool and conserve water, as well as prevent weeds.If you are using grass clippings as mulch, let the grass clippings dry before spreading them around your plant.

• Water Deeply.                                                                                                                                                                      Irrigate the soil deeply and infrequently rather than giving plants a light sprinkling each day. This requires about 1 inch of rain or sprinkler irrigation. Make sure your soil is draining properly. Poorly drained, soggy soil conditions combined with hot weather can wipe out a plant in a matter of days.  But avoid watering the leaves of your plants; water the soil at the base of the plant.  Water on the leaves can be heated by the sun and cause scorch or burn and fungal diseases thrive when the temperature is between 70 and 90 degrees. By watering the soil, you can protect your plants from this disease and damage. Also keep water from puddling at the stem for too long. If the stem of your plant stays in water too long, it can be susceptible to fungus or disease

• Plant Vegetables.
 There is still time to plant heat loving veggies such as southern pea, okra, sweet potato, amaranth, malabar spinach, and watermelon. Give them adequate water as the heat increases their water use.

• Stop Pruning.
 Spring blooming shrubs, vines and trees such as azalea, dogwood, redbud, spirea, forsythia, wisteria and some roses shouldn't be heavily pruned unless they are dormant. Excessive pruning will reduce next year's blooms.

• Evaluate Plants.
 Take a stroll through the landscape late in the day and take note of plants looking wilted or sunburned. They may be in too sunny a location or receiving too much late-day sun. Consider moving woody ornamentals and perennials such as azalea, hydrangea, ginger, and hosta in the fall.

• Keep Yourself Safe.
 Drink plenty of water while working in the garden and use sunscreen with at least an SPF 15. Avoid extended time out in the sun during the heat of the day.

Heat tolerant perennials:
Ornamental grasses, daylilies, coreopsis, coneflower, black-eyed Susan, junipers, spruces, pines, cacti and succulents.