Q. What can I do to make my yard and garden look better during this heat wave? My grass is turning brown, and everything looks wilted or dried up right now.
When daytime temperatures get over 100 for too many days, almost every plant is going to suffer one way or another.
Grass will show water stress quickly. Before it turns brown, it will usually turn a strange dark green color. If possible, refrain from mowing until after the heat wave has passed. If you must mow, set the mower to the highest setting so the grass is not cut too short. Many gardeners and landscapers mow too low, leaving turf vulnerable to water and heat stress. Grass that is longer can shade the ground, which protects the roots from heat damage and allows water to penetrate the soil. Set irrigation to run in the early morning to minimize evaporation in the hot sun. Alternatively, you can water in the evening, but if temperatures remain high, there may still be some evaporation loss. Run sprinklers or irrigation for longer times but less frequently. For example, run twice as long but only every other day. This will encourage deep root growth and resilience. Periodically check sprinkler coverage since sprayer heads can become misaimed or clogged over time.
For perennial shrubs and flowers, remove dried and wilted flowers to encourage re-blooming when the weather cools off. Sometimes outer leaves become burned while inner leaves remain unaffected. Although the dead leaves are unsightly, they are protecting the interior of the plant and should be left alone until the danger passes. For established plantings, infrequent and deep watering, heavy mulch, and weed removal reduce stress and keep things looking decent.
Summer vegetables should be promptly harvested since once they are ripe, exposure to intense heat will cause spoilage and loss of flavor. Watch for disease and pest issues. Heat will accelerate bacteria and fungus growth, and insect pests can multiply quickly in the heat. Garden maintenance is no fun in the heat, but a quick walk-through in the early morning should be enough.
Trees can be subject to sunburn. Applying a diluted white latex paint (50:50 paint to water) can offer some protection from the sun. White trunk wraps are available as well, but these can hide pest problems. If a tree is drought-stressed, avoid watering heavily all at once. The thirsty tree will take up excess water, causing the cambium to swell and potentially splitting the trunk. Stressed trees should be watered with less water but more frequently.