Gardenhood

Some of our staff are without power, trees are down in several nearby neighborhoods, and the roads are still iffy so we're going to stay closed again today. We'll see everyone again real soon - stay safe!

🔥Heatwave alert!🔥 Our first major hot spell of the season is imminent, so let's talk garden strategies:

1. Mulch, mulch, mulch!
A generous layer of mulch, pine straw, or even fallen leaves will help reduce evaporation and keep soil cooler and more moist when temps soar. Pay close attention to newly planted plants and to anything with extra shallow roots. And don't forget to add mulch to plants in pots!

2. Water wisely.
Plants generally need roughly 1" of water per week during the growing season. In times of extreme heat, more water does not necessarily = better. Plants will slow down or even halt their active growing during a heatwave in order to conserve resources. Giving them more water than they need will cause root-rot, which can be even more damaging than the heat. Water enough to keep the root areas moist, but not so much that the soil is constantly soggy. If your garden beds or containers are well-mulched, you may not have to water as often as you think. And remember that most things will wilt during the hottest part of the day even if they're fully hydrated. Always check the soil before watering - don't just assume a plant is dry because it's wilting!

3. Provide shade if possible.
If you have planted containers that you can move into shadier spots for the duration of the heatwave, do so. If you have brand new plantings that seem a bit delicate, consider providing supplemental shade with burlap or frost cloth or even old sheets tied to sturdy stakes above them. Shade goes along way towards easing the stress of extreme heat.

We will post updates here if we need to close early on any of the really hot days to protect the health and safety of our staff.

Visit our website at www.gardenhoodatlanta.com for more details about hot weather plant care. Be safe out there, gardening friends! 🌻

Current status: open but frozen! 🧊🎄

We're here til 1pm today. Unless all the doors freeze shut, in which case we'll be here til Wednesday. 😆 ~Kacey