Hey Luke, I dunno if you've heard of Jim Kovaleski. But he sells veg for a living and doesn't ever water. Instead he puts down grass cuttings continuously. He has transplanted into soil that's received no water, in some circumstance, for 7+ weeks and still they take hold! Thought you might be interested.
in indonesia zone 7 we don't water after 8.30 am and does after 5 pm, because at this heat season the water start to heating up by sunshine and constantly if we force to water them at midday they'll got burn leaves at the afternoon or the next morning
We just had a huge downpour of rain, over 2" which is awesome for the garden, but it's still young and soil has splashed up on everything. Should I spray the soil off of them with water? I'm in Nova Scotia, in for a heat wave with humidity. Everything is doing so well, no bugs or disease, so different from last year. Thanks for your great videos.
I definitely need to get a drip irrigation system going. I live in southern MN, where we get high humidity as well. Right now humidity is 65% and the 85 degree temps actually feel more like 85 degrees...it's so nice compared to the higher heat/humidity waves we have had a few times this summer! Unfortunately, I overhead watered for convenience during our heat waves, especially to keep my succession plantings that were teeny tiny from drying out. I didn't know it right away but wondered what was causing tan colored spots on leaves here and there. It has now taken over many of my garden items. I walked through the soybean field directly next to my land and it is entirely hit by a fungus (my best diagnosis is a cercospora species). Mine looks very similar and I am convinced that is where at least some of it is coming from...maybe there are other fungal organisms mixed in there. My beets, cucumbers, spinach, cilantro, carrots and beans, in particular, have been hit hard. But also my zinnias, nasturtium, borage, bee balm and other flowers. :( The cucumbers, which were thriving previously, have died. The spinach and cilantro were bolting anyway. Am spraying sodium bicarbonate spray on the rest (just ordered potassium bicarbonate also) and it seems to be working well. The new growth on the beets is free of spots. Sadly I will plan to remove all of my plant debris in the fall and send it in the trash instead of compost. (If anyone has any other advice, I'm all ears!) It may be time to find a new place with a more ideal gardening situation! ;(
I just don’t understand why folks are worried about using their drip system! Drip irrigation is the best invention ever! I run mine early in the morning so any water that starts out in the system is cool and I don’t have to worry about it being hot water.
If you use drip tape over drip lines they will release all the water in the tape only leaving water in the main lines and it won't matter. At least this is the case for the 3 zones on my market garden by the time the water fills the lines it's plenty cool from each emitter. My drip runs midnight to 3am and noon to 3 an hour each zone, never seen an issue in many years.
I wonder if the worries with the drip are due to your last point. Sun make hose water hot. If your hose is full of hot water and then you hook up to your drip you'll burn the plants. Probably why when you see pro's install drip everything including the valve hookups is under ground or permanent shade.
@@joewamsley8004 Exactly! And it doesn't take long for the water sitting in a hose in the sun to get scalding hot! When I water, I turn the hose onto the sidewalk until it cools down enough...just 10 seconds of that scalding water will kill any plant it hits!
Roots do not get “boiled” by watering. And when water changes state to ice, heat is released. Watering in the middle of the day is really good when you need it.
I had an elderly gardener (with a fantastic garden) suggest that I fill water barrels in the garden and water from them once they had warmed up so as not to shock plants roots in very hot weather. Any thoughts on that?
I water my plants in the evening if its a normal temp week, or in the morning when I let my dogs out & in the evening when we are in a heat wave. Which is what I'm going to be doing tomorrow & sat for my weekend heat wave
Just make sure you water before the height of the heat hits during the day. Simple. If your worried about boiling plants roots, then just use some mulch.. as long as your plants have deep roots, and you water deeply, and you have some nice water retentive soil, you’ll be fine.
matt make sure the potting media is well prepared with organic matter. Cococoir does exceptionally well in containers. It doesn’t compact, but it holds soo much water. Also using a mulch will help as well. Lastly, make sure you water before the heat hits. Even just a little water, and then mulching it, will be helpful. Just make sure you water the plants in containers before or after the heat of day.
I love your videos especially because you are from Michigan, i am also,but most of all because you have great information. Just one thing I don’t understand is why everyone of the videos are raised beds or grow pots. I could understand if you had poor soil but you could always add amendments to correct the soil. This is the first year I have had to grow veggies in grow pots and 1 raised bed.only because I could not find anyone to till my garden. I did use tripple shredded mulch, a waste of money and time, the soil stays wet so I move the chips back, I used good soil and all the ingredients recommended. And I am not satisfied with the raised beds or grow pots, just wondering if companies are getting a kickback from lumber and soil, just my thought. But I continue watching your videos. I get awesome information from you. God bless and this post is not meant to be rude. Just curious
Nicky Mullins first, it’s much easier to amend soil that is above the ground. It is also much easier to till the soil, for that fact. Raised beds drain much better, and the soil in a raised bed is generally warmer than the soil in the ground. As for the growpots (which I’m pretty sure you mean Smartpots) they have aerated fabric. Which allows the plants roots to air prune. Basically what that is, is when the roots touch the side of the pot, they are exposed to air. So when roots are exposed to air, they shrivel up and die back. This allows the plants to constantly make a new system of roots. As for your garden problems, lemme ask a question. Is this the first year you are cultivating in the raised bed and your growpots? If so, it takes at least 1 years’ worth of cultivation to start building the structure of your soil. Once you are finished this year, (2018) you need to begin amending the soil with water absorbing material. Things such as coco coir, bark, woodchips, moss, compost, grass clipping, leaves etc. anything that will decompose. These organic materials add aeration to the soil, and also allow for maximum water holding capability. I began gardening last year. I bought the horticulture grade potting media by SunGro. It dried out fairly easily, so I had to water a lot. But this year, I’m using what I used last year as a base to continue building my soil up. Last fall, I added trees worth of leaves, compost, bark, moss, wood chips, wood chunks, coffee grounds and probably more I don’t even remember. This year, is my second year of gardening. AND BOY, AM I IMPRESSED WITH THE WATER HOLDING CAPABILITY OF MY SOIL! I added coco coir this spring which I highly recommend, for you, especially if your soil dries out quickly. The coco coir holds so much water, I can’t even explain it. You MUST try mixing coco coir in with your existing soil. I would stay away from peat moss. This is acidic, and compacts over time. What I mean by moss, I have wild moss growing everywhere in my backyard. So I just pull that stuff up and shred it. It Creates some nice water pockets in the soil. Always remember to keep your compost pile making up! The more compost you have, the deeper you can mix this stuff into your soil. Thus allowing for even more water holding capability beneath the soil level, which is where it matters. Sir, I hope this information helps!! :)
Nicky Mullins as for the mulch, DONT pull it back. The mulch is supposed to keep the soil wet. It doesn’t do you any good when you keep pulling it back.
Hi, Luke, As I said below, 95 to 100 degrees is my normal summer temperatures. I was only watering once per week but my Zucchini were not happy. I decided to start watering every three days. Is this too little as well? My moisture meter always says that my soil is wet. I've stopped using it, as it appears to be confusing the watering issue. So you are saying that regardless of what my meter says, I should be watering twice per day every day?
killuminate peacefulness use diatomaceous earth, MIgardener actually has a video on it, it's very cool, organic and effective, it'll kill them within a day
A bit more about soil moisture and temperature: One of the big things the water adds is thermal mass. It takes significantly more energy to heat or cool a pocket of water than air. Loading your soil with water makes it a large heat sink, which can absorb way more energy before rising one degree. The opposite is true in the winter: the water is a heat source - and it's slower to cool than an equal volume of air, keeping your roots warmer.
Next year, you could try a modified hugelkulture in your beds by deep treaching wet, soaked, pine mulch. This holds water deep in the soil, under the plants, that soaks up future rain and releases it slowly. It also breaks down and let's the earthworms feed, putting nutrients in deep.
I've been watering at evening/night for a year and never had problems despite reading not to do so. I'm not a morning person. Since it's still 70-80 degrees at night, my thinking was as in the video--not cold and damp enough to cause mildew or anything, and gives time for plants to soak up water. Except this year, the plants last year are mature and huge, and some of the flowers in my foundation beds seem to be struggling. Can't tell if it's because they've been blooming for months and fizzling out or if it's the heat.
It's been hot as Hades here. I'd still take it over winter, lol. I've noticed my heavily munched plants haven't blinked, but the ones I didn't get any kind of mulch around have been suffering. Ruth Stout, Back to Eden, etc., are onto something. I took the hot water in the hose and filled up the rain barrel nearby that was getting low. It will cool down and no water wasted!
the night watering thing doesn't apply to all climates. if its very humid where i live in the deep south the water will cause problems if it sits all night
I agree with the higher humidity. We have had dew points in the mid 60’s to mid 70’s in Nebraska and I only water at night and have had white spots on my zucchini plants. Not a big deal because with temps in the mid 90’s and higher, the plants are needing water. However, I will say I have not had any problems with any flowers.
Ben Jay and that’s the biggest problem in some southern states: No air circulation! It is hot, humid and no breeze here in VA. If I’m not careful with how I water at night, which is close to the soil, and I splash water on the leaves then the leaf spot disease that I’m fighting spreads like wildfire all night!
What does apply universally is Vapour Pressure Deficit. There is a correlation between air temp, soil temps, soil moisture, air moisture and levels of available CO2 and how well a plant might grow or not.. Understanding this isn't always enough, we get what mother nature gives us, but learning about it allows us to forgive ourselves when external environmental factors prevent our plants being able to balance energy. We can relax knowing it wasn't what we did after all. (Well in some cases :-) ). The video forgets to mention we are largely water, most cellular beings are water, ergo growing in healthy soil with correct ratios of fungus to bacteria for the crops/.plants we grow is the key to reducing impacts of the weather etc. Soil microbes are 70% water and so a source for our plants in times of stress. Perhaps access to water is one purpose of rhizophagy, where our plants actively consume yeast for example by growing root cells over colonies of herded microbes.. Also adding humates and or humic acid can help increase the amount of water any soil may hold..The organic acid has a high electron donor capacity and can trap passing water molecules helping slow the release of water loss. Esp good in sandy soils but works on clay too. We shouldn't forget, plants are meant to dry out on occasion. This kills protozoa and higher soil molecules so bringing balance to the soil as well preventing one type of biology taking over the system. Whilst I agree we need soil moisture and keeping it from dropping below 40% is a good idea when you are growing plants. It is water mixing with CO2 in the soil, itself from plant roots and aerobic microbes, that mixes to make a weak acid and it's this which etches minerals, plants and microbes needs from bedrock, clays and sands etc I also say we need to let plants dry too as this boosts soils plant ready nutrient levels when we rehydrate the system, flushing out stale CO2 accumulation in the pore spaces and drawing in fresh O2 for our plant roots and the aerobic microbes. Microbial feedback loops require soil hydration / dehydration to function. Its where we get extended stressors that we loose microbes and so access to the building blocks of plant defenses.
My drip irrigation and garden hose Y off of a water line that heats up. Burying the line in the soil helps but I spray residual hot water into my swimming pool using the garden hose until it cools off then I switch the line over to the drip irrigation system.
man u scared me when u said insane heat 😂😂 its only 37C WHERE I LIVE THATS COOL. hot is 60C, normal is 40-50C, cool is from 10-30C. never went under zero in kuwait 🇰🇼
Can you please do a video on pruning? I get confused because so many people say I am doing it right/wrong. I would like to know when I should, what is the best way, and when to leave the plant alone. Also a video on handling sun burnt plants would be great, and how to treat, and when it is too late to save a plant.
Careful not to overwater during heat wave. Also with container plants if you water in morning and evening, most likely you are flushing water Soluble nutrients out of the soil which can lead to deficiencies and reduce pest resistance. If your soil is wet and your plant is wilting, don’t friggen water it again. My father in law keeps watering the leaves and overwatering my plants the same day I fertilize and it’s wreaking havoc on my plants . He’s already caused powder mildew on my okra and killed 3 of my pepper plants because he seems to think they need a drink of water at 2pm in 100 degrees full sun
My biggest problem this year, I can not trust the forecast. So many times I trusted the weather for the rain, so I turned off my automatic water system. But it never rain. Was trying to water 2-3 times a week. Including the schedule of rain. So what do you do
Great video except the part where you propagate the water droplet "scorching" myth - this is really only possible if the water droplets are suspended over the leaves by long hairs or something like that. I don't blame you though because that myth is everywhere and won't die.
Wow, so spooky, I was just thinking earlier today as I was watering my garden when it was very hot and had the thought cross my mind It would be cool if MIgardner channel made a video about when and how to water a garden in extreme heat.
Totally agree. Though I went down to Houston one time in February and I thought I was going to die because the humidity was so bad. I lived in the Dallas area at the time though so the humidity was close to nothing.
too good video..seriously i burned myself with hose water ...What about when drip pipes get heated in sun and than too hot water comes for some time..Shall i bury those pipes under the ground?
On my drip irrigation system I have a two way garden hose splitter with valves so I can open one valve up and let the hot possibly chemically contaminated water (it has an odor produced from the hose) out to dump on my lawn for about 20 seconds and then shut the valve off to let the cool clean water run through my drippers. This is just my 2c the valves are extremely cheap at big box stores.
Im just watching this video years later. I just heard a story about how a mother sprayed her child to cool her off for summer play, but she scalded her and suffered 2-3rd degree burns.
during a heat wave I water long and hard with my sprinkler, im under a giant maple so I get periods when the sun hides away so that is good.some of my apple trees do have burnt leaves i believe from watering when there was direct sun on it. its july and days over 100 and my broccoli is looking great and is refusing to bolt. Mulch is our friend
If your plants have good nutrition, ie, all the minerals they need (via soil bacteria and fungi) they can be completely resistant to diseases and insects. Yes, it is possible!
Thanks for the awesome advice. I am having the inverse problem. Our groundwater is so cold that if I water at night it shocks the plants. I have no idea how to heat it enough to bring it to around room temp without having a specific on demand in line heater installed.
Greenhouse operators use shade cloth to protect from excessive sunshine and UV radiation. The EPA has a map to show UV ratings for various states and cities. We have had too many nuclear weapons tests to have safer UV radiation levels.
Worth mentioning that evening watering really encourages slugs. Changing to morning / daytime watering has been a game changer for me. Also "not watering in the heat of the day because it burns the plants leaves blah blah magnifying glass" turned out to be a myth. It doesn't.
One thing you didn't cover, don't know if you have on other videos, is the effect of chlorine on the soil. Is it a myth that chlorine kills the biology of the soil?
Thank you sooo much! My tomatoes are suffering from heat stress and I didn't know how to help. My tomatoes last year died early because I couldn't figure out what to do. I'm adopting the morning/evening water schedule right away!
The problem with watering in the evening (in general) is that it brings the slugs out! But as you are discussing watering during a heatwave then I guess slugs are better than stress in this situation. Steve
Really......heat? OMG I live in Las Vegas and I’ve got an awesome garden going on! I water at 9:30 am and 5:30pm every day on a drip system. We’re hitting temps over 105 until next week then it will get 110-115 till September. When I walk in my garden the soil is cool. I also foliar spray kelp every other week in the evenings. Absolutely run your hose first and get the hot water out. Just recently a baby here in Las Vegas was burned seriously from a hose his father sprayed on him unintentionally as a water play day 😢
It's a lot more humid around MI and OH, it's 70-95% around here at the moment. 105 here is deadly. I remember visiting vegas and at midnight it was 100 degrees but felt like 70. So maybe the humidity level is making the difference? Just a thought
Kornkid 13...you are spot on. My sister lives in Northern Nevada, high desert--and they have very dry air. I live in Texas where the humidity is HIGH. 95 degrees in her part of the country feels NOTHING like 95 here! And for them...as soon as the sun sets...they get a 40-50 degree drop! She said they open the windows at that time, and let all the super cool air rush in. Whereas here, it stays sticky, hot and muggy all night long. We've been at 104, 105 the past couple of weeks--and with the high humidity, we have a heat index of 110, 111.
Margie Tucker you are exactly right. I lived 12 years in southern Cali and we moved to San Antonio Texas in 1998 it’s very different heat! Michigan humidity ain’t got nothing on us Texan’s! 😱
Well, since I need to be at work at 6:30am & live an hour away, I am getting up at 3:30am & watering by flashlight with my spray hose & soaker hoses for my raised beds. And since I don't want to leave my wife some with kids before bedtime, so I water after they go to bed around 8pm. Takes 2 hrs to water in the evening... I'll sleep when I'm dead. ;)
Soil type play's a factor in watering schedule as well. I have clay loam soil and after a good rain I don't need to water again for about a week. If I watered every day my peppers and tomatoes would be suffering from wet feet.
This was my first year doing a pot garden and I almost screw up everything because we had a massive heat wave and it messed up a lot of my plants with me over watering them. Some of my plants even got blight. They aren’t doing so well overall but it makes me want to try again next year and learn from my mistakes. Thank you for the info
Thanks for this video Luke. We are experiencing a heatwave here in Vt. My garden is important to me and it's good to have your advice on how to deal with this extreme heat! Now I know what to do and I don't have to guess.
Thanks for the info! I live in Phoenix and it's been around 110 highs for about a month now. I've been watering with a soaker hose with about 6 inches of mulch on top for 30 minutes at 4 AM. Haven't lost any plants and tomatoes, artichokes, and basil are thriving.
I installed drip irrigation this spring. It has been such a wet year that the only time I've used it was to test it out. Last year was a drought. I sure could have used it then! But, it's SW North Dakota, so I'm sure I'll be using it yet.
I guess I always cooled my hose-water because I felt that it was uncomfortable to me, so it may hurt my plants. I'm glad to have my instincts confirmed.
I did watch your video about watering, but merely want reinforcement. I understand watering in the morning and evening is best, but is it detrimental to water during the heat of the day, especially during the heat-wave we are currently in, i.e. temps of 97-100F? Considering it is now July 14, what might be a good time in the a.m. to water? In other words, what time might be too late in the morning? Thanks, and I like your videos! Michael in MO.
The water from my hose comes from a well which is very cold water. I'm always worried that it will be too cold for my plants. Is that a possibility as well or should I not worry about it?
I wouldn't worry I run a market garden on drip that is from a well and have 3 zones that run an hour each starting at midnight ending at 3AM and again at noon (when there is no rain). After many years I have never seen any sign of stress from water being too cold out of a well.
Thanks for the quick and informative response. I've been filling rain barrels with well water and letting it warm up before watering my plants. This will save me a lot of time!
TBH people shouldn't freak out when it's 30+ degrees C. If it reaches 40 degrees C++ then they should panic and water often. I watered my plants can be up to 3 times in a day if there is an extreme heatwave that happens. I watered em early morning, night and mid day to cool them down. 30 Deg C won't burn your plants and stress em out if watered it right. My blueberry plants made it through the Australian Heatwave in summer and does well as long you wet the leaves to prevent it from burns. Apparently I found out that peaches and nectarines loved the heat and the fruit ripens faster during the heat as long their soil remains moist. Also MULCH MULCH MULCH. Mulch saved me from watering even more during the heatwave.
Simply warm water has far less O2 ppms than water under 21c. Where soil is over 25c for consecutive days without a drop, then you can expect problems. Not enough DO2 to support aerobic life means death for most plants and or oxygen reliant life forms
Good advice for the most part, I'm hoping you've already covered identifying soil types and preparation for climate and crops grown, minerals, organic additives ect. ect ... sounds as if you have a sandy to sandy loom soil. This is my 1st visit to your sight, so no criticism on my part. 1 of my many degrees (2 yr) is in Organic Chemistry with a 4 year degree in Inorganic Chemistry. I worked for a nonprofit for 11 1/2 years as the Program Director of an agro-forestry outreach program in West Africa, so I've seen more soil types and problems than most, but I'll never know it all. Learning is a lifetime job that never ends if one is wise, I hope you agree. Have you tried any indoor gardening??? This is my 1st year doing it on a large scale, approximately 2000 sq. ft. of crops. The weather is so unpredictable and some crops are doing poorly outside. Thanks for the video.
I have a friend who runs his shower & kitchen water by curling it (edit: his black water pipe) under the compost and in the sun. I would say folks with drip system should make sure to shade their equipment and set up an automatic timer for early mornings if they're like me & can't get up early :)
I'm just south of you in NW ohio, and the heat index will be over 110 for the next 3 days (give or take), I'm really glad you made this video because I had some questions regarding this topic.
I'm in north Florida and I've had to switch to only watering early in the morning and before 5 or 6 in the afternoon. I got slugs and snails at night when I watered. I still water some of the more hot days during the heat of the day but I'm careful to only water the soil. I dont have near as many pepper and tomato flowers falling off. Now I'm dealing with cats eating my melons sprouts at night. Great channel and great customer service. I placed another order today. Thank you everyone at Migardener!
Hi Luke a question on watering I use a gauge that you insert in the soil it reads moist near wet say 8 inches down. The soil is lightly mulched I experience leaf wilt on my tomatoes and peppers in 90 degree days they recover quickly when partially shaded.i have yet to water this season in southern Oregon. Your thoughts
BPA is not the only plasticizer, there are many other harmful and toxic things in a typical garden hose and those things more readily leach into hot water. The most surprising thing I learned recently is BPA in receipts is absorbed through the skin at much higher rates than if you were to drink from something still made with BPA.
So glad I'm in the Pacific NW today. It was like 75 here.
This comment didn’t age well.
Hey Luke, I dunno if you've heard of Jim Kovaleski. But he sells veg for a living and doesn't ever water. Instead he puts down grass cuttings continuously. He has transplanted into soil that's received no water, in some circumstance, for 7+ weeks and still they take hold! Thought you might be interested.
in indonesia zone 7 we don't water after 8.30 am and does after 5 pm, because at this heat season the water start to heating up by sunshine and constantly if we force to water them at midday they'll got burn leaves at the afternoon or the next morning
You should be in California right now. It is going to be 113 F on Friday 6/18/21 in the San Joaquin Valley California.
We just had a huge downpour of rain, over 2" which is awesome for the garden, but it's still young and soil has splashed up on everything. Should I spray the soil off of them with water? I'm in Nova Scotia, in for a heat wave with humidity. Everything is doing so well, no bugs or disease, so different from last year. Thanks for your great videos.
I definitely need to get a drip irrigation system going. I live in southern MN, where we get high humidity as well. Right now humidity is 65% and the 85 degree temps actually feel more like 85 degrees...it's so nice compared to the higher heat/humidity waves we have had a few times this summer! Unfortunately, I overhead watered for convenience during our heat waves, especially to keep my succession plantings that were teeny tiny from drying out. I didn't know it right away but wondered what was causing tan colored spots on leaves here and there. It has now taken over many of my garden items. I walked through the soybean field directly next to my land and it is entirely hit by a fungus (my best diagnosis is a cercospora species). Mine looks very similar and I am convinced that is where at least some of it is coming from...maybe there are other fungal organisms mixed in there. My beets, cucumbers, spinach, cilantro, carrots and beans, in particular, have been hit hard. But also my zinnias, nasturtium, borage, bee balm and other flowers. :( The cucumbers, which were thriving previously, have died. The spinach and cilantro were bolting anyway. Am spraying sodium bicarbonate spray on the rest (just ordered potassium bicarbonate also) and it seems to be working well. The new growth on the beets is free of spots. Sadly I will plan to remove all of my plant debris in the fall and send it in the trash instead of compost. (If anyone has any other advice, I'm all ears!) It may be time to find a new place with a more ideal gardening situation! ;(
I just don’t understand why folks are worried about using their drip system! Drip irrigation is the best invention ever! I run mine early in the morning so any water that starts out in the system is cool and I don’t have to worry about it being hot water.
If you use drip tape over drip lines they will release all the water in the tape only leaving water in the main lines and it won't matter. At least this is the case for the 3 zones on my market garden by the time the water fills the lines it's plenty cool from each emitter. My drip runs midnight to 3am and noon to 3 an hour each zone, never seen an issue in many years.
I wonder if the worries with the drip are due to your last point. Sun make hose water hot. If your hose is full of hot water and then you hook up to your drip you'll burn the plants. Probably why when you see pro's install drip everything including the valve hookups is under ground or permanent shade.
@@joewamsley8004 Exactly! And it doesn't take long for the water sitting in a hose in the sun to get scalding hot! When I water, I turn the hose onto the sidewalk until it cools down enough...just 10 seconds of that scalding water will kill any plant it hits!
@@scmarketgarden1537 What about when drip pipes get heated in sun and than too hot water comes for some time..
I don't even know how to use irrigation system. 🤷🏻♀️
Roots do not get “boiled” by watering. And when water changes state to ice, heat is released. Watering in the middle of the day is really good when you need it.
I had an elderly gardener (with a fantastic garden) suggest that I fill water barrels in the garden and water from them once they had warmed up so as not to shock plants roots in very hot weather. Any thoughts on that?
Very informative, thanks.
I water my plants in the evening if its a normal temp week, or in the morning when I let my dogs out & in the evening when we are in a heat wave. Which is what I'm going to be doing tomorrow & sat for my weekend heat wave
Just make sure you water before the height of the heat hits during the day. Simple.
If your worried about boiling plants roots, then just use some mulch.. as long as your plants have deep roots, and you water deeply, and you have some nice water retentive soil, you’ll be fine.
what about plants in containers?
matt make sure the potting media is well prepared with organic matter. Cococoir does exceptionally well in containers. It doesn’t compact, but it holds soo much water.
Also using a mulch will help as well.
Lastly, make sure you water before the heat hits. Even just a little water, and then mulching it, will be helpful. Just make sure you water the plants in containers before or after the heat of day.
I love your videos especially because you are from Michigan, i am also,but most of all because you have great information. Just one thing I don’t understand is why everyone of the videos are raised beds or grow pots. I could understand if you had poor soil but you could always add amendments to correct the soil. This is the first year I have had to grow veggies in grow pots and 1 raised bed.only because I could not find anyone to till my garden. I did use tripple shredded mulch, a waste of money and time, the soil stays wet so I move the chips back, I used good soil and all the ingredients recommended. And I am not satisfied with the raised beds or grow pots, just wondering if companies are getting a kickback from lumber and soil, just my thought. But I continue watching your videos. I get awesome information from you. God bless and this post is not meant to be rude. Just curious
Nicky Mullins first, it’s much easier to amend soil that is above the ground. It is also much easier to till the soil, for that fact. Raised beds drain much better, and the soil in a raised bed is generally warmer than the soil in the ground.
As for the growpots (which I’m pretty sure you mean Smartpots) they have aerated fabric. Which allows the plants roots to air prune. Basically what that is, is when the roots touch the side of the pot, they are exposed to air. So when roots are exposed to air, they shrivel up and die back. This allows the plants to constantly make a new system of roots.
As for your garden problems, lemme ask a question. Is this the first year you are cultivating in the raised bed and your growpots?
If so, it takes at least 1 years’ worth of cultivation to start building the structure of your soil. Once you are finished this year, (2018) you need to begin amending the soil with water absorbing material. Things such as coco coir, bark, woodchips, moss, compost, grass clipping, leaves etc. anything that will decompose. These organic materials add aeration to the soil, and also allow for maximum water holding capability.
I began gardening last year. I bought the horticulture grade potting media by SunGro. It dried out fairly easily, so I had to water a lot. But this year, I’m using what I used last year as a base to continue building my soil up. Last fall, I added trees worth of leaves, compost, bark, moss, wood chips, wood chunks, coffee grounds and probably more I don’t even remember.
This year, is my second year of gardening. AND BOY, AM I IMPRESSED WITH THE WATER HOLDING CAPABILITY OF MY SOIL!
I added coco coir this spring which I highly recommend, for you, especially if your soil dries out quickly. The coco coir holds so much water, I can’t even explain it. You MUST try mixing coco coir in with your existing soil.
I would stay away from peat moss. This is acidic, and compacts over time. What I mean by moss, I have wild moss growing everywhere in my backyard. So I just pull that stuff up and shred it. It Creates some nice water pockets in the soil.
Always remember to keep your compost pile making up! The more compost you have, the deeper you can mix this stuff into your soil. Thus allowing for even more water holding capability beneath the soil level, which is where it matters.
Sir, I hope this information helps!! :)
Nicky Mullins as for the mulch, DONT pull it back. The mulch is supposed to keep the soil wet. It doesn’t do you any good when you keep pulling it back.
its 115 in Phoenix, Az
Hi, Luke, As I said below, 95 to 100 degrees is my normal summer temperatures. I was only watering once per week but my Zucchini were not happy. I decided to start watering every three days. Is this too little as well? My moisture meter always says that my soil is wet. I've stopped using it, as it appears to be confusing the watering issue. So you are saying that regardless of what my meter says, I should be watering twice per day every day?
I noticed today when I turned on my drip system, the water was hot. How do I avoid that? I don't want to fry my plants!
so if you miss the morning watering and the plants are drooping, are they better off without watering in afternoon? or worse?
So in a heat wave you should be watering twice a day everyday? I go by the rule 1 soaking inch water a week
We in WV are having a heatwave as well. I put a “core” in my beds as u instructed in earlier videos. Could I simply charge the core?
My tomatos are wilting very badly during the heat of the day and people say I shouldnt water them until the evening. What is true?
Huge thumbs up!!!
Water morning and evening EVERY DAY? Your heat wave is my norm. I've been watering every 3 days
What causes and how do I get rid of ants in my zuchinni flowers?
Any suggestions on how to get rid of those big beetles? They love eatting the leaves on my blueberry plant
killuminate peacefulness try using neem oil, lady bugs, and other general enemies to the big Bettles.
killuminate peacefulness use diatomaceous earth, MIgardener actually has a video on it, it's very cool, organic and effective, it'll kill them within a day
The rest of the country burns...its 65 and cloudy in the PNW for the foreseeable future here in WA :( My tomatoes are never going to ripern
Sean Rowan how's it now lol Portland 100 today!
Alex Tappin why did I open my mouth lol also 100 yesterday in Shelton wa
The EPA standards you refer to may no longer stand with Trump deregulation
A bit more about soil moisture and temperature: One of the big things the water adds is thermal mass. It takes significantly more energy to heat or cool a pocket of water than air. Loading your soil with water makes it a large heat sink, which can absorb way more energy before rising one degree. The opposite is true in the winter: the water is a heat source - and it's slower to cool than an equal volume of air, keeping your roots warmer.
Using mulch on top of the soil helps retain moisture, I use cedar chips in my containers and that helps keep insects away too.
Dave Sterchele love mulch. Even grass clippings suppress weeds encourage worms to move in and keeps water levels in check to a point.
i dump my grass for mulch sure does help
Oh, good idea! I'll have to get some cedar chips.
grass clippings are my favorite
Next year, you could try a modified hugelkulture in your beds by deep treaching wet, soaked, pine mulch. This holds water deep in the soil, under the plants, that soaks up future rain and releases it slowly. It also breaks down and let's the earthworms feed, putting nutrients in deep.
One word...MULCH!
Your enthusiasm and passion is nice to see.
Wonderful informations! 😉 Greetings from London! 🇬🇧
I've been watering at evening/night for a year and never had problems despite reading not to do so. I'm not a morning person. Since it's still 70-80 degrees at night, my thinking was as in the video--not cold and damp enough to cause mildew or anything, and gives time for plants to soak up water.
Except this year, the plants last year are mature and huge, and some of the flowers in my foundation beds seem to be struggling. Can't tell if it's because they've been blooming for months and fizzling out or if it's the heat.
It's been hot as Hades here. I'd still take it over winter, lol. I've noticed my heavily munched plants haven't blinked, but the ones I didn't get any kind of mulch around have been suffering. Ruth Stout, Back to Eden, etc., are onto something. I took the hot water in the hose and filled up the rain barrel nearby that was getting low. It will cool down and no water wasted!
the night watering thing doesn't apply to all climates. if its very humid where i live in the deep south the water will cause problems if it sits all night
It gets humid in Michigan too. Perhaps your soil moisture is already high and adding to it doesn't help?
I agree with the higher humidity. We have had dew points in the mid 60’s to mid 70’s in Nebraska and I only water at night and have had white spots on my zucchini plants. Not a big deal because with temps in the mid 90’s and higher, the plants are needing water. However, I will say I have not had any problems with any flowers.
Ben Jay and that’s the biggest problem in some southern states: No air circulation! It is hot, humid and no breeze here in VA. If I’m not careful with how I water at night, which is close to the soil, and I splash water on the leaves then the leaf spot disease that I’m fighting spreads like wildfire all night!
What does apply universally is Vapour Pressure Deficit. There is a correlation between air temp, soil temps, soil moisture, air moisture and levels of available CO2 and how well a plant might grow or not.. Understanding this isn't always enough, we get what mother nature gives us, but learning about it allows us to forgive ourselves when external environmental factors prevent our plants being able to balance energy. We can relax knowing it wasn't what we did after all. (Well in some cases :-) ).
The video forgets to mention we are largely water, most cellular beings are water, ergo growing in healthy soil with correct ratios of fungus to bacteria for the crops/.plants we grow is the key to reducing impacts of the weather etc.
Soil microbes are 70% water and so a source for our plants in times of stress.
Perhaps access to water is one purpose of rhizophagy, where our plants actively consume yeast for example by growing root cells over colonies of herded microbes..
Also adding humates and or humic acid can help increase the amount of water any soil may hold..The organic acid has a high electron donor capacity and can trap passing water molecules helping slow the release of water loss. Esp good in sandy soils but works on clay too.
We shouldn't forget, plants are meant to dry out on occasion. This kills protozoa and higher soil molecules so bringing balance to the soil as well preventing one type of biology taking over the system.
Whilst I agree we need soil moisture and keeping it from dropping below 40% is a good idea when you are growing plants. It is water mixing with CO2 in the soil, itself from plant roots and aerobic microbes, that mixes to make a weak acid and it's this which etches minerals, plants and microbes needs from bedrock, clays and sands etc
I also say we need to let plants dry too as this boosts soils plant ready nutrient levels when we rehydrate the system, flushing out stale CO2 accumulation in the pore spaces and drawing in fresh O2 for our plant roots and the aerobic microbes.
Microbial feedback loops require soil hydration / dehydration to function. Its where we get extended stressors that we loose microbes and so access to the building blocks of plant defenses.
PickledPoacher, WOW! Thanks for all the info. I especially appreciated that you explained all Biochem relationships.
I always clean my birdbath first, in case there is hot water in the hose...
Diana Klenk me too
Or clean the dogs water bowl first... ;)
Me too!
Me Three !
Me four 😂
My drip irrigation and garden hose Y off of a water line that heats up. Burying the line in the soil helps but I spray residual hot water into my swimming pool using the garden hose until it cools off then I switch the line over to the drip irrigation system.
man u scared me when u said insane heat 😂😂 its only 37C WHERE I LIVE THATS COOL. hot is 60C, normal is 40-50C, cool is from 10-30C. never went under zero in kuwait 🇰🇼
Can you please do a video on pruning? I get confused because so many people say I am doing it right/wrong. I would like to know when I should, what is the best way, and when to leave the plant alone. Also a video on handling sun burnt plants would be great, and how to treat, and when it is too late to save a plant.
Careful not to overwater during heat wave. Also with container plants if you water in morning and evening, most likely you are flushing water Soluble nutrients out of the soil which can lead to deficiencies and reduce pest resistance.
If your soil is wet and your plant is wilting, don’t friggen water it again.
My father in law keeps watering the leaves and overwatering my plants the same day I fertilize and it’s wreaking havoc on my plants . He’s already caused powder mildew on my okra and killed 3 of my pepper plants because he seems to think they need a drink of water at 2pm in 100 degrees full sun
My biggest problem this year, I can not trust the forecast. So many times I trusted the weather for the rain, so I turned off my automatic water system. But it never rain. Was trying to water 2-3 times a week. Including the schedule of rain. So what do you do
Great video except the part where you propagate the water droplet "scorching" myth - this is really only possible if the water droplets are suspended over the leaves by long hairs or something like that. I don't blame you though because that myth is everywhere and won't die.
Wow, so spooky, I was just thinking earlier today as I was watering my garden when it was very hot and had the thought cross my mind It would be cool if MIgardner channel made a video about when and how to water a garden in extreme heat.
Welcome to Texas weather
Naw this isn't that unusual for Michigan
I've lived in Texas and it is Texas hot! It has been starting just the past few years here. Though I would still rather move back to Texas ;)
Feels different with 100% humidity though. I can stand Texas heat, Michigan heat makes me feel like I'm breathing hot wet marshmallows 😓
Totally agree. Though I went down to Houston one time in February and I thought I was going to die because the humidity was so bad. I lived in the Dallas area at the time though so the humidity was close to nothing.
Yup, it's the humidity that will kill ya. But it's not unusual to have these heat waves in MI.
too good video..seriously i burned myself with hose water ...What about when drip pipes get heated in sun and than too hot water comes for some time..Shall i bury those pipes under the ground?
On my drip irrigation system I have a two way garden hose splitter with valves so I can open one valve up and let the hot possibly chemically contaminated water (it has an odor produced from the hose) out to dump on my lawn for about 20 seconds and then shut the valve off to let the cool clean water run through my drippers. This is just my 2c the valves are extremely cheap at big box stores.
Im just watching this video years later. I just heard a story about how a mother sprayed her child to cool her off for summer play, but she scalded her and suffered 2-3rd degree burns.
Spray diluted whole milk to keep blight away...old gardeners tip.....aloha
during a heat wave I water long and hard with my sprinkler, im under a giant maple so I get periods when the sun hides away so that is good.some of my apple trees do have burnt leaves i believe from watering when there was direct sun on it. its july and days over 100 and my broccoli is looking great and is refusing to bolt. Mulch is our friend
If your plants have good nutrition, ie, all the minerals they need (via soil bacteria and fungi) they can be completely resistant to diseases and insects. Yes, it is possible!
Thanks for the awesome advice. I am having the inverse problem. Our groundwater is so cold that if I water at night it shocks the plants. I have no idea how to heat it enough to bring it to around room temp without having a specific on demand in line heater installed.
Greenhouse operators use shade cloth to protect from excessive sunshine and UV radiation. The EPA has a map to show UV ratings for various states and cities. We have had too many nuclear weapons tests to have safer UV radiation levels.
Worth mentioning that evening watering really encourages slugs. Changing to morning / daytime watering has been a game changer for me.
Also "not watering in the heat of the day because it burns the plants leaves blah blah magnifying glass" turned out to be a myth. It doesn't.
If you mulch your soil, it will not heat up. Really saves the plants during hot weather!
One thing you didn't cover, don't know if you have on other videos, is the effect of chlorine on the soil. Is it a myth that chlorine kills the biology of the soil?
We just bought what says a deaux fig. Will we get figs from this plant? What is the best fig to grow in zone 7a?
I water using a 1/4 inch drip. I am watering in the morning and my hydrangeas are crispy. I water for an hour.
Thank you sooo much! My tomatoes are suffering from heat stress and I didn't know how to help. My tomatoes last year died early because I couldn't figure out what to do. I'm adopting the morning/evening water schedule right away!
What about watering the plants when it is hot already? I have a couple plants right now that have leaves that are dropping downward?
The problem with watering in the evening (in general) is that it brings the slugs out! But as you are discussing watering during a heatwave then I guess slugs are better than stress in this situation. Steve
Digwell Greenfingers set out a shallow pan with beer fir tbe slugs and snails...old pie tins work.
Glad you posted this. I’m in NW Ohio and I was just researching this today!!
Really......heat? OMG I live in Las Vegas and I’ve got an awesome garden going on! I water at 9:30 am and 5:30pm every day on a drip system. We’re hitting temps over 105 until next week then it will get 110-115 till September. When I walk in my garden the soil is cool. I also foliar spray kelp every other week in the evenings. Absolutely run your hose first and get the hot water out. Just recently a baby here in Las Vegas was burned seriously from a hose his father sprayed on him unintentionally as a water play day 😢
It's a lot more humid around MI and OH, it's 70-95% around here at the moment. 105 here is deadly. I remember visiting vegas and at midnight it was 100 degrees but felt like 70. So maybe the humidity level is making the difference? Just a thought
In Henderson/LV people walk around with water bottles. It's easier to dehydrate when you don't feel the sweat as much as we do in Michigan.
Kornkid 13...you are spot on. My sister lives in Northern Nevada, high desert--and they have very dry air. I live in Texas where the humidity is HIGH. 95 degrees in her part of the country feels NOTHING like 95 here! And for them...as soon as the sun sets...they get a 40-50 degree drop! She said they open the windows at that time, and let all the super cool air rush in. Whereas here, it stays sticky, hot and muggy all night long. We've been at 104, 105 the past couple of weeks--and with the high humidity, we have a heat index of 110, 111.
Margie Tucker you are exactly right. I lived 12 years in southern Cali and we moved to San Antonio Texas in 1998 it’s very different heat! Michigan humidity ain’t got nothing on us Texan’s! 😱
Waterboarding is a play day?
Well, since I need to be at work at 6:30am & live an hour away, I am getting up at 3:30am & watering by flashlight with my spray hose & soaker hoses for my raised beds. And since I don't want to leave my wife some with kids before bedtime, so I water after they go to bed around 8pm. Takes 2 hrs to water in the evening... I'll sleep when I'm dead. ;)
Hammer-Bear O'Sullivan that’s real commitment!
Hammer-Bear O'Sullivan I’m amazed!
I spray the hot water in a bucket to cool overnight for watering my animals and on unwanted plants and fire ant hills.
I find watering in the evening around 7 to 8pm in summer best for my area
Most garden hose are toxic. You really need to look to find ones that aren't.
I'm in Florida so I always run the water until its cool to the touch.
Very good advice. Thumbs up.
For containers, Should i water everyday or once a twice a week?
So, first thing in the morning (no time given) and in the evening with great explanations.
I go to bed about 6:00 pm each nite. Is it okay to water a bit before that time or is that too early. My a.m. watering is at 10:00 am
My plants have to sit in 112 degrees 😪😪😪
What about getting slugs when watering at night?!? Thanks
Soil type play's a factor in watering schedule as well. I have clay loam soil and after a good rain I don't need to water again for about a week. If I watered every day my peppers and tomatoes would be suffering from wet feet.
This was my first year doing a pot garden and I almost screw up everything because we had a massive heat wave and it messed up a lot of my plants with me over watering them. Some of my plants even got blight. They aren’t doing so well overall but it makes me want to try again next year and learn from my mistakes. Thank you for the info
Thanks for this video Luke. We are experiencing a heatwave here in Vt. My garden is important to me and it's good to have your advice on how to deal with this extreme heat! Now I know what to do and I don't have to guess.
Thanks for the info! I live in Phoenix and it's been around 110 highs for about a month now. I've been watering with a soaker hose with about 6 inches of mulch on top for 30 minutes at 4 AM. Haven't lost any plants and tomatoes, artichokes, and basil are thriving.
I’ve learned so much from your videos and they have made me feel confident and excited about starting my own garden thanks so much!
So we can water plants in evening right ,and it is safe
I installed drip irrigation this spring. It has been such a wet year that the only time I've used it was to test it out. Last year was a drought. I sure could have used it then! But, it's SW North Dakota, so I'm sure I'll be using it yet.
WaskiSquirrel seriously! In the Black Hills and we put so much into making sure we could water effectively this year and now we have all this rain.
I loved reading the comments. It’s so Interesting to hear how everyone’s summer gardening is going!
Do you fertilize when you got a heat wave
I guess I always cooled my hose-water because I felt that it was uncomfortable to me, so it may hurt my plants. I'm glad to have my instincts confirmed.
can you use a sprinkler??
Is the chlorine bleach in tap water bad for your plants?
more harmful to the good microorganisms in your soil, I fill buckets of water and let sit for 24 hours or so to use
How long do you water.
I been doing it wrong!!!!!
Great video Luke
I did watch your video about watering, but merely want reinforcement. I understand watering in the morning and evening is best, but is it detrimental to water during the heat of the day, especially during the heat-wave we are currently in, i.e. temps of 97-100F? Considering it is now July 14, what might be a good time in the a.m. to water? In other words, what time might be too late in the morning? Thanks, and I like your videos! Michael in MO.
Good Video.
The water from my hose comes from a well which is very cold water. I'm always worried that it will be too cold for my plants. Is that a possibility as well or should I not worry about it?
I wouldn't worry I run a market garden on drip that is from a well and have 3 zones that run an hour each starting at midnight ending at 3AM and again at noon (when there is no rain). After many years I have never seen any sign of stress from water being too cold out of a well.
Thanks for the quick and informative response. I've been filling rain barrels with well water and letting it warm up before watering my plants. This will save me a lot of time!
Thank you. Good to know.
that cold well water sure fells good on your head as you are watering
Absolutely
TBH people shouldn't freak out when it's 30+ degrees C. If it reaches 40 degrees C++ then they should panic and water often. I watered my plants can be up to 3 times in a day if there is an extreme heatwave that happens. I watered em early morning, night and mid day to cool them down. 30 Deg C won't burn your plants and stress em out if watered it right. My blueberry plants made it through the Australian Heatwave in summer and does well as long you wet the leaves to prevent it from burns. Apparently I found out that peaches and nectarines loved the heat and the fruit ripens faster during the heat as long their soil remains moist.
Also MULCH MULCH MULCH. Mulch saved me from watering even more during the heatwave.
Simply warm water has far less O2 ppms than water under 21c.
Where soil is over 25c for consecutive days without a drop, then you can expect problems. Not enough DO2 to support aerobic life means death for most plants and or oxygen reliant life forms
Good evening !
You sell seeds from: Shellbark Hickory. Mockernut Hickory and Shagbark Hickory, to sell?
Thank you !
Good advice for the most part, I'm hoping you've already covered identifying soil types and preparation for climate and crops grown, minerals, organic additives ect. ect ... sounds as if you have a sandy to sandy loom soil.
This is my 1st visit to your sight, so no criticism on my part. 1 of my many degrees (2 yr) is in Organic Chemistry with a 4 year degree in Inorganic Chemistry.
I worked for a nonprofit for 11 1/2 years as the Program Director of an agro-forestry outreach program in West Africa, so I've seen more soil types and problems than most, but I'll never know it all. Learning is a lifetime job that never ends if one is wise, I hope you agree.
Have you tried any indoor gardening??? This is my 1st year doing it on a large scale, approximately 2000 sq. ft. of crops. The weather is so unpredictable and some crops are doing poorly outside.
Thanks for the video.
Thanks
I have a friend who runs his shower & kitchen water by curling it (edit: his black water pipe) under the compost and in the sun. I would say folks with drip system should make sure to shade their equipment and set up an automatic timer for early mornings if they're like me & can't get up early :)
I'm just south of you in NW ohio, and the heat index will be over 110 for the next 3 days (give or take), I'm really glad you made this video because I had some questions regarding this topic.
My brother would like to b your distributor in Pakistan. Let me know if u r interested.... Thanks. Dr. Hussain
I'm in north Florida and I've had to switch to only watering early in the morning and before 5 or 6 in the afternoon. I got slugs and snails at night when I watered. I still water some of the more hot days during the heat of the day but I'm careful to only water the soil. I dont have near as many pepper and tomato flowers falling off. Now I'm dealing with cats eating my melons sprouts at night. Great channel and great customer service. I placed another order today. Thank you everyone at Migardener!
Hi Luke a question on watering I use a gauge that you insert in the soil it reads moist near wet say 8 inches down. The soil is lightly mulched I experience leaf wilt on my tomatoes and peppers in 90 degree days they recover quickly when partially shaded.i have yet to water this season in southern Oregon. Your thoughts
BPA is not the only plasticizer, there are many other harmful and toxic things in a typical garden hose and those things more readily leach into hot water. The most surprising thing I learned recently is BPA in receipts is absorbed through the skin at much higher rates than if you were to drink from something still made with BPA.