Alright, let’s gab about them plants and this hot weather, you know? Folks keep askin’, “How hot is too hot for plants?” Well, it ain’t as simple as just sayin’ a number, but I’ll tell ya what I know.
Mostly, when it gets hotter than 90 degrees, that’s when you gotta start worryin’. Think of it like this, you get too hot, you start sweatin’ and feelin’ weak, right? Plants are kinda the same. When it’s over 90 degrees for a long spell, them leaves start droopin’ like a sad puppy’s ears. That’s ’cause the water inside ’em is dryin’ up faster than you can say “hot diggity dog”. This is real bad, especially when the air is dry too, like a desert wind is blowin’.
Now, I ain’t no fancy scientist, but I heard tell that when plants get too hot, they get somethin’ called “heat stress”. Sounds scary, don’t it? Well, it is. It means the plants are losin’ water faster than they can take it up. They get all dried out and can’t grow right. It’s like tryin’ to bake a cake without enough water – it just ain’t gonna work. They stop makin’ their food, the stuff they get from the sun, and they start to wilt, like I said.
- Too Hot for Leaves: When it’s much hotter than 90 degrees, the leaves can’t handle it. They just dry up and die.
- Too Hot for Roots: And don’t forget about them roots! Them roots are like the plants’ feet, and when the dirt gets too hot, like above 86 degrees, they stop growin’ and can even die. This is real bad, cause the plant can’t get no water or food from the dirt.
- Hot Water? Bad Idea: And listen here, don’t go waterin’ them plants when it’s hotter than 90 degrees neither. Hot water on hot plants is like puttin’ hot sauce on a sunburn. It just makes things worse. Wait till it cools down a bit. Evenin’ or early mornin’ is best.
Now some plants are tougher than others, like them cactuses and some desert grasses. They can handle the heat a whole lot better. But most plants, the ones you grow in your garden, they ain’t made for that kind of heat. They need warmth to grow, sure, just like babies need blankets, but too much warmth and they’re in trouble. Think of it like a good, warm fire in the winter. Nice and cozy, right? But if you throw too much wood on it, the whole house goes up in flames.
So what can ya do? Well, make sure them plants got plenty of water. Water ’em good, deep down in the dirt, not just a little sprinkle on top. And if you can, give ’em some shade durin’ the hottest part of the day. You can use a piece of cloth, an umbrella, or even just move them to a shadier spot. And don’t forget to keep an eye on the dirt temperature too. If it’s too hot, try addin’ some mulch, like wood chips or straw. That’ll help keep the dirt cool and moist.
So to sum it up, when it’s above 90 degrees for a long time, that’s when plants start to suffer. The leaves wilt, the roots stop growin’, and the whole plant can die if it gets too hot. The hottest most plants can handle is about 113 degrees, but even that’s pushing it. So keep ’em watered, keep ’em shaded, and keep an eye on the temperature. That’s the best way to keep them plants happy and healthy, even when the sun’s beatin’ down like it’s got a personal vendetta against your garden.
And that’s all there is to it. Nothin’ fancy, just plain common sense, like most things in life.
Tags: [Plants, Temperature, Heat Stress, Gardening, Plant Care, Watering, Soil Temperature, Summer, Garden Tips, Plant Health]
