How to know if your plants are suffering in the heat
Experts at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center share ways to check whether your plants are stressed in the ongoing heat.
AUSTIN (KXAN) - Not only is the ongoing heatwave making it tough for us humans to stay upright, it's also stressing the life we have growing in our gardens and yards. But how do you know if your plants are struggling or thriving in the dry and hot weather?
Meteorologist Kristen Currie spoke with Amy Medley, a horticulturist at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, to find out how to know if your garden is under heat stress.
Meteorologist Kristen Currie, KXAN News: As we get into the back end of summer, a lot of us might be concerned about our yards and gardens given the heat and lack of rain. So joining me today from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is Amy Medley. Amy, any tips or tricks you have for those who are concerned about how dry we're getting outside?
Amy Medley, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Right now, the plants have kind of slowed down their growth, so we don't have to be out doing too much in the gardens. But something really important to do at this time is to run your irrigation system and make sure that you're actually watering what you want to be watering. A lot of times, there can be breaks or your nozzle might shoot off to the side. You really want to make sure that you're actually watering what you are trying to water in your yard.
Currie: I'm curious to know - at the Wildflower Center, you guys have so many different plants, shrubs, trees and a variety of plant types that do well here in Central Texas. Do you have a personal favorite that thrives in Central Texas with this heat and drought?
Medley: I do. I have so many. But to get one that is just looking magnificent right now is the Flame Acanthus. It's a tubular, red flower that is blooming right now. It looks gorgeous and loves the heat. Hummingbirds really love to visit it as well, so that's really fun to see. It is one that absolutely loves this intense heat.
Currie: Do most plants do okay with all this sunshine? Should we be thinking about covering up some plants with a sheet or a tarp of some sort?
Medley: Your plants should be adapted to where they are. So if you have planted plants in the full sun, then they should be fully adapted to the full sun. One thing I would watch out for though is something that I'm doing right now when I walk around in the gardens in the morning. It's normal for our plants to wilt in the afternoon with this intense heat, but if you walk around and you see that your plants are wilting in the early morning, that should tell you "hey, I need to watch this more." Maybe your irrigation system is not hitting it or maybe you need to give it a little more water. If it's wilting in the morning, that's when you need to be worried.
Currie: Amy Medley with the Wildflower Center. Thank you so much for joining us for this August update.