Similar to garden plants, houseplants may require additional care during desert summers due to extreme temperatures and the effects of air conditioning.
Experts from the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden shares how to keep plants healthy and happy in heat.
First, when it’s hot, plants need more water. Your container plants may need daily or twice-daily watering.
Do: Water in the early morning or evening when it’s cooler and less water will evaporate.
Don’t: Do not over-water. Some plant diseases thrive in hot, wet conditions. Follow the usual rule of thumb: Check the soil in the pot, as deep as possible, and only add water if it’s dry.
Do: Try bottom watering for water-thirsty plants. Place pots with holes in a one-inch deep layer of water. Let the roots suck up the moisture until the soil feels moist toward the top of the plant.
Air conditioners can dry out plants.
Do: Move plants out of the direct path of air conditioning vents, possibly to a room with high humidity, such as a bathroom or kitchen.
Leaves on heat-stressed plants may roll, cup, wilt, and dry. Along with dryness, sunburn is a concern when leaves lose their color and become brittle.
Do: Move plants out of direct sunlight. Plants with burned leaves can recover. Following the irrigation tips above will help bring them back:
Do: Add mulch around the roots of container plants. That helps the plant conserve moisture and regulates the temperature of the soil.
Don’t: Spray chemicals, fertilize, prune or replant in extreme heat.
Enjoy the beauty and durability of succulents, cactuses and aloes that use much less water and are a safer bet for surviving in hot weather.
For a list of plants that grow best in the Coachella Valley visit CVWD.org/conservation
