When the Heat Won't Quit: Helping Your Lawn, Garden, and Wildlife Survive a Scorcher

“It’s  like a heat wave.” ♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ

The fans are out, and the AC is turned to high. Heat waves occur when high-pressure systems in the atmosphere create a dome of warm air over a region. Your lawn has now become a garden under proverbial glass, and it’s none too comfortable. Opening your oven door is cooler!

As you might imagine, you are not the only living thing dealing with the heat wave issue. Some critters love it hot. Others wish they could hop on a plane to a cool shoreline. Knowing which ones are which can help protect your landscape and the pollinators you’ve been attracting. 

Those Dang Brown Grass Splotches

Unless the heat wave stretches on for a very long time, your grass probably isn’t dead. More likely, the grass enters dormancy as a survival mode. The growth slows, so the grass needs less moisture until temperatures cool again. 

Don’t water daily. Instead, give your lawn a deep soaking once or twice a week. The water needs to reach down into the soil where the moisture won’t dry so quickly. Do so before 9 a.m.

Additionally, resist the urge to give your grass a buzz cut. Taller grass survives the heat far better. At 3-4” tall, it can shade its own roots and crowd out weeds. Just like watering, do this in the early morning or evening. That keeps you cooler, too. 

Freeze the Fertilizer

Your plants are already stressed. Fertilizer can actually make matters worse. It goes like this.

Fertilizers contain nitrogen → Nitrogen makes a plant grow rapidly → Rapid growth demands water → There is little or no water. 

Until normal weather returns, your lawn and flowers are better off without fertilizer, even natural ones. 

Hug Your Garden

Bend down. Whisper sweet nothings. Okay, not really, but now is definitely the time to show your garden a little TLC. Vegetables and flowers need mulch (the hug). Place 2-3” of it around your plants. The soil stays cooler, and this slows evaporation. Better still, when things return to normal, mulch impedes those snarky weeds. 

Container Considerations

Container plants are a whole different ballpark. Those pots can get really, really hot. So, if you’re able, slide them into partial or full shade. Depending on the plant, you may actually have to water up to twice daily. You don’t want cooked roots (unless it’s carrots for dinner). 

Fainting Couch for Flora

Plants aren’t quite as dramatic as people when they start “fainting” from heat stress. Rather, they droop in sad lament. You’ll notice this during the hottest parts of the day. After sunset, they usually perk back up. 

If your plants remain wilted or start having crispy edges, it’s time for SPF 5000 – in horticultural terms, deep watering. 

Don’t be surprised if your vegetables don’t produce as much. Some may just decide to give up. Some greenery is more resilient than others, and you’ll be able to see that readily. 

Putting out the Welcome Mat for Pollinators & Birds

In this weather, pollinators and birds REALLY appreciate a watering hole. If you put pebbles, small stones, or even marbles in the birdbath, bees and butterflies can use it too (or just give them a few dewy landing pads around the yard for themselves)

Heat-Loving Critters

While you are busily finding a cool spot, some critters really dig the heat. Lizards are at the top of the list, finding this weather delightful. The heat helps them regulate their body temperature. This is actually good news because lizards love eating insects that would otherwise damage your plants.  

One type of lizard in particular, the iguana, is a sun worshiper. They’re out looking for vegetables, flowers, and leafy greens. Protect your yard and garden by using Iguana Scram. It won’t hurt any of your greenery, pets, or family whatsoever. 

Snakes are next. They’re active starting early in the morning, seeking out rodents. If you find you’re having trouble with snake damage in your yard, sneaking into the house, or even clogging air vents, a natural solution is Snake Scram

Then there are insects. Cicadas sing louder than a rock concert (it’s how they woo a mate). Dragonflies come out to snack on mosquitoes. Butterflies warm their wings in the sun before nectar quests. Bees set out in the early morning for pollen, ants appear overnight in sidewalk cracks, and spiders eat up pesky garden flies and moths.

Animals who Dislike the Heat

There are several animals that would prefer cooler temperatures and shade over the blazing sun. That doesn’t mean they won’t damage your landscape or gardens, though. Take Armadillos. They dig deep, creating underground burrows, and come out at night. These burrows can uproot new plantings, damage tree roots, and even begin impacting your deck. 

Your local wandering cats and dogs love to hide under porches and other cool spots to avoid heat stroke. By night, their digging, trampling, and waste can harm your lawn. You don’t have to hurt Mr. Kitty or Ms. Pup, however. Just use all-natural granular repellents, such as those from EpicRepellents. 

Truth be told, deer, gophers, moles, and mice all retreat to cooler locations during a heat wave until dusk. Deer stick to cool grasses. Gophers and moles use underground tunnels; gophers eat plant bulbs and roots, while moles damage turf and garden beds. Mice use areas like openings under decks or even a handy empty log (they may also try to get into your home). 

Rabbits find shaded regions or tall grasses to avoid the summer scorcher. Skunks hide in sheds (surprise!) or burrows. Voles generally use underground tunnels. Voles neatly eat your plants from the root up. Skunks tear up turf, and rabbits graze on flowers, fruits, and vegetables. EpicRepellents can help with those, too!

Living with Scorching Summer Heat

If there was ever a time to work with nature, a summer heat wave is one. Water everything wisely. Leave water pools for your pollinators. Don’t panic if your lawn takes a nap. 

Use targeted repellents against unwanted guests (i.e., the right product for the right job). The products from EpicRepellants are wholly safe for your pets, other plants, and people. 

Once temperatures come down (and everyone sighs in relief), much of your landscape will return to normal. Nature is a pretty resilient lady!