Preparing Your Plants for Heat & Drought

If you know high temps are on their way, be prepared and water the day prior by giving your plants a really good deep water.

Best watering methods:

• Install irrigation systems for consistent, deep watering
• Leave your hose on a slow trickle over an hour or two at the rootball
• Water once or twice a week deeply – better than a little bit every day
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Avoid overwatering: Excess water doesn't have time to drain naturally and roots can drown. Over watering and lots of rain can also lead to fungal issues.

Mulching is one of the most effective heat management tools in your garden. It will help retain moisture in the garden beds and drop the soil temperature by as much as 15–20 degrees.

Why this matters: Once temperatures start getting into the high 30's, bare soil with no mulch can reach temperatures of 10–15 degrees hotter than mulched areas, causing severe damage and death to plants. A simple layer of organic mulch is one of the best investments you can make.

Applying a seaweed-based plant tonic regularly will improve your plant's resistance to heat and drought stress.

They have a hormonal response, creating plant hardiness, and assisting the cells of the plant to work with what is happening weather wise.

Seaweed tonics are also fabulous to use on plants that are under stress or on newly planted plants to help them establish quickly and cope better with challenging conditions.

Pro Tip: Prepare in advance and use these at least 1-2 weeks prior to hot weather arriving, not the day before!  

Adding compost to your soil can help tremendously by improving soil structure and water retention while also enriching the soil with nutrients.

A sustainable option: Think about adding a worm farm, tumbler or traditional composter to your home to produce your own beautiful compost! This reduces waste, saves money, and provides a continuous supply of nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Using shade cloth over plants is particularly beneficial for soft-leafed, heat-sensitive plants and veggie crops.

Performance: A shade cloth with a 50% shade factor can reduce the temperature experienced by the plant by around 10 degrees – a significant difference during a heatwave.

Pro tip: Choose a WHITE shade cloth rather than darker colours, as white reflects heat more effectively.  Be prepared and buy these in advance as they can sell out quickly as hot weather approaches. 

Anti-transpirant products work like a sunscreen for plants, protecting them from heat stress and moisture loss.

AgroBest 'Envy': This product is sprayed onto foliage and stops plants from losing moisture from their leaves. It protects plants from heat in hot dry conditions, moisture loss, sunburn, frost stress and other environmental stressors. Note: Not suitable for vegetables or edibles as it is not an organic product.

Kaolin Clay: This alternative product can also be beneficial for protecting fruit trees and vegetables against sun damage.

If you do encounter plants with heat damage such as burnt branches or foliage, don't be in a rush to remove or prune them off immediately.

Why? These damaged areas will actually protect the plant from further damage during a heatwave by acting as a shield. Once the heat has passed and temperatures have returned to normal, you can safely cut back the damaged sections to tidy up the plant's appearance.