Hot,
dry summers are rough on our lawns and plants, especially on non-native plants
and those weak from improper care. Since many of our landscape plants aren't
naturally adapted to heat, they need special attention and care.
High
temperatures speed up the normal living process of plants to a maximum rate at
and above 90 degrees F. This means that most plants can take temperatures up to
90 degrees F. fairly well. Anything above that—the hotter it gets, the more
they suffer! Of course, less tolerant or weaker plants suffer even more. The
longer high temperatures persist, the greater the injury to the plant.
Hot
soils also hamper plant growth. Shallow-rooted and container plants are
particularly affected by soil heat build-up. Deeper-growing roots penetrate to
a level of better soil temperatures and moisture. Mulching the soil surfaces
around plants and watering properly is a good idea to stabilize soil
temperatures. The most obvious symptom of a plant’s heat exposure and hot soils
is persistent afternoon wilting, followed by foliage burn.
Hot
air, particularly the hot, dry air of the Phoenix Metro area, causes too much
moisture loss from the plant's foliage. Some evaporation from leaves is normal,
but when vital moisture is being evaporated faster than the plant's ability to
replace it, leaves dry out and wilt. To be drought-tolerant, plants must have
roots able to absorb as much, or more, moisture from the soil and do it as
fast, or faster, than the foliage loses it. First symptoms of hot air injury
are drying and browning at the tips and edges of older leaves. Then, tender new
tip growth wilts, soon followed by dieback. Rapid moisture loss can cause
tender leaves to turn black. Evaporation cools foliage, but if it doesn't get
water from the roots fast enough to provide the evaporative cooling effect, the
foliage gets hot, tender growth wilts and older leaves sunburn.
Exposure
to the intense sunlight of bright, cloudless, summer days can be too much for
sensitive plants. Reflected light from walls and other surfaces can also add to
the problem. Stunted plant growth and a yellow-white "burn" on the
upper surface of older leaves are familiar symptoms of too much intense
sunlight.
Using
plants adapted to our hot climate is the best way to get vigorous plants with
minimum care. Some plants just don't do well in the heat! They're difficult to
maintain and expensive to replace. Plus, plants suffering the torment of harsh
surroundings don't offer a pleasing appearance to any landscape. Native,
heat-hardy or at least tolerant plants are the most practical choices for local
landscapes.
Tolerant
plants resist moisture loss from their foliage, and are more efficient feeders
on limited soil moisture. They can better tolerate intense sunlight. Tropical
plants lose water rapidly from their lush, tender foliage. To make matters
worse, their less efficient rooting is often unable to replace foliage moisture
as fast as it evaporates in the hot, dry summer air. Remember—plants give
priority to new growth when moisture and nutrients are short, so older leaves
are deprived. This is why older leaves show hot weather injury first.
It
doesn’t matter to us whether you want commercial desert landscaping, lush lawns
or some type of landscaping in between, we can help. We serve businesses like yours all over the
Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.
Presented
By:
Greens
Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
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