Think of ways to manage “playing” in the garden for the next few months. The heat is brutal!

1. Try to “play” on days that are overcast and move around your garden as the shade moves from one location to another.

2. Most of your planting is already done, but you can continue to plant warm season annuals to compliment your perrenials. You can also stagger plant warm weather seeds every few weeks so that you will have a constant flow of color. Such seeds include cosmos and zinnia.

3. Play close attention to the weather and rainfall amounts. Texas summer weather usually vacillates between torrential rains from hurricane season and high pressure domes of triple digit heat with no rainfall.

4. Don’t forget to prune all your flowers as needed. Pruning and dead heading flowers often will promote a bushier and healthier plant which in turn shades the ground and prevents weeds.

5. Don’t forget to collect seed heads as your flowers play out. Store them in paper bags and be sure to label your seeds. It’s been years since I’ve purchased zinnia, poppie, cosmos, larkspur, milkweed, basil, or parsley seeds!

6. Don’t skimp on mulch!!!! Mulching is the primary method of weed control. Two or three inches is optimum. Also, mulch helps keep the soil cooler by shading the ground and helping the roots retain moisture better.

7. Don’t forget to dress appropriately. I’ve learned that a gauzy long sleeve shirt, cool long pants with large pockets, and a gi-normous brimmed hat is a lot cooler than shorts and tank tops. Plus, you protect your skin from the damaging sunrays. Gone are the days of laying out slathered in babyoil and iodine with lemon juice combed through my hair!

What tips do you have for “playing” outside 😉 🙂 ?