It’s getting hot, and that means veggie gardens may be looking a little worse for wear. This time of year, while we’re still waiting for monsoons, watering is top priority! Your vegetable and herb gardens will need daily watering to keep them going. A layer of mulch or compost can help retain moisture and insulate soil for a more consistent temperature. A 30% shade cloth is also a great way to keep your plants happy in the heat. Keeping intense sun off your plants while also making sure they receive adequate sunlight is important for veggie success!
Another key factor for great vegetables is, of course, pollination. Plants like squashes, melons, and other non-natives sometimes do not attract our local pollinators. To make sure you get a good harvest, you may have to pollinate the plant yourself. There are a number of ways to do this – paint brushes and q-tips, or even just snipping off a flower with pollen and bopping it against other flowers on the plant. It really makes you appreciate how hard pollinators have to work!