Arizona is hot and dry during the summer and this can make keeping your garden and landscape alive and healthy a challenge. If you want to do your part for water conservation in Arizona and keep your garden alive and thriving in the summer months, follow these simple steps.
Choose Plants that Love the Heat
There are some plants that love the heat, and these will thrive during the summer. Armenian cucumbers are a type of muskmelon that taste and look like a cucumber. These heirloom melons, also known as yard-long cucumbers, love the heat, don’t need a ton of water, and will produce a high yield. Sweet potatoes will also do well in the hot summer heat of Arizona and don’t require a lot of water. The leaves of the sweet potatoes will survive and thrive during the summer and you can harvest them in the fall. Okra, basil, and certain melons that are native to the region, such as the Chimayo melon, will also grow well during the hot summer months.
Water Your Plants at the Best Time of Day
The best time of day to water your garden is in the early morning. This allows the water plenty of time to run down into the soil without evaporating too quickly. If you cannot water your garden in the early morning, early evening works as well. You just want to avoid the hottest parts of the day, as the water will evaporate before your plants can get what they need.
Arrange Shade in Your Garden
Shade cloth is a great way to create shade in your garden. You can attach the cloth to existing stakes or trellises and grow plants such as tomatoes and bell peppers in the shade. The shade will protect your plants from the sun as well as help keep water from evaporating as quickly.
Use Native Plants
There are many plants native to Arizona that thrive and survive in the harsh summer environment without a ton of water. Prickly pear, desert marigold, grape ivy, and ironwood are just some of the many plants that will survive the summer.
Mulch Your Garden
Mulching your garden can help plants survive the summer by retaining water and keeping the soil cool. Mulch insulates the soil, which helps keep water from evaporating as quickly. Mulching also prevents the soil from forming a harder top layer of crust so water can more easily seep into the roots of your garden.
Self-Watering Containers for Water Conservation in Arizona
Add self-watering containers to your garden. These containers have spouts that go into the ground of your garden. They provide a slow release of water to your plants and help reduce water waste by delivering the water directly to the roots instead of dripping down the leaves.
If you would like help starting your garden and maintaining, as well as tips for water conservation in Arizona, please contact us. We provide landscaping tips and services and can help you design your garden so that it will survive the hot summer months.
