Summer sun is the best; we pretty much spend the year waiting for it to come around, and enjoy every second when it shines.
For plant life though, the story is a little different.
Although plants and flowers do indeed need the sun and its warmth to survive and thrive, too much of it can be a very bad thing. Excessive heat and sunshine are plant killers.
Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or a serial plant neglecter, your plants will need a little extra TLC while the summer sun is in full force.
So let’s take a look at some of the ways you can ensure your beloved leafy pals make it through without drooping, crisping, or outright dying. This plant survival guide will cover everything you’ll need to keep your indoor greenery happy, hydrated, and safe from heat waves.
Let the Sunshine, but Not Too Much
As we already know, plants need light to photosynthesize and grow, but direct summer sunlight can scorch leaves, crack stems, and dry out plants, leaving scars.
This can cause leaves to shrivel and even kill some plants entirely, and all of this is especially true for plants in your home that sit near windows.
Shift them away from windows when the sun is at its hottest. It’s worth moving them out of the direct sunlight into a bright area, and be sure to open a window to stop things from getting too hot.
If you have a room with excellent natural light (lucky you), then maybe consider putting up curtains that will help you control the light as it enters through the windows.
Sheer or light-filtering curtains will be your best bet as they help diffuse direct sunlight, which will stop your plants from scorching but still give them the light they need.
In protecting your plants from direct light, you’re saving them from overexposure, but don’t go putting them in a dark cupboard; they do still need lots of natural light. Curtains aren’t just for you, they can be your plant's best summer ally.
Watering Wisely: More Isn’t Always Better
For us humans, when it’s hot we seek out water. Pools, lakes, the sea; you get the idea. We want to be submersed, therefore cool.
So surely it’s the same for our plants, right?
Well, not really.
Overwatering, or submerging our plants during the summer heat, can drown the roots and even lead to rot in the pot, which is fun to say, but not fun to deal with.
Instead, we need to water deeply but with less volume and then check that the soil at the base is dry before we water again. Make sure your plants aren’t dry for too long, as this will start to kill the green bits of the plant.
Pretty much all indoor plants enjoy consistency rather than regular flooding, so all you need to do when it’s hot is ensure the soil is not drying out too much, use room-temperature water and keep an eye on fungal growths.
If your plants are outdoors, then water once the sun has set, or before it rises. Water droplets on wet leaves can lead to scorching, overheating, and plenty of damage to the leaves and petals in even the most resilient of plants.
Don’t Let Your Humidity Drop Too Low
Air con is a godsend for us; when the sun starts to scorch, we can step inside and enjoy a fresh feeling of cool air. But once again, our plants don’t love the same things we do.
Humidity is essential for plant life, and air-con quite literally conditions the air in our homes (that’s where it got its name!), removing moisture, amongst other things, and recirculating it.
Some plants, especially tropical ones, will suffer hugely when there is no moisture in the air, so here are some tips to keep them happy if you need to put the air con on.
To keep things looking luscious:
- Mist your plants regularly, but don’t overdo it, as this can lead to the same problems as overwatering.
- Placing a water tray in the middle of a group of plants will slowly evaporate and create enough moisture for the plants to utilize.
- You can even try grouping all your plants together to create a small microclimate; it really does work!
- Try using a pebble tray on really hot days to allow for more control over the moisture and stop it from burning off right away. This also works on top of the soil at the base of some plants, but make sure your plant can handle this before you do it!
Humidity-loving plants will love all of these tips and thank you with bright colours and perky leaves.
Dust Those Leaves
This is something that a surprising number of people overlook, but it remains one of the key reasons people’s houseplants die; dusty leaves are bad news.
They can inhibit photosynthesis, harbor bacteria, and allow for harmful buildups, so every now and then, you’ll need to give your green friends a gentle wipe. Even something as simple as a microfibre cloth and a mist spray will do the trick.
Give your indoor plant babies a gentle wipe with a damp cloth every couple of weeks, some people even leave them out in the rain, or give them a gentle shower, but make sure it can handle this kind of treatment before chucking it under the showerhead.
If you have fuzzy leaves, then use a dry cloth in much the same way. This will ensure your plants stay healthy, happy, and ready to impress any visitors.
Watch for Pests
Warm weather means bugs. Bugs of all kinds, so it’s really important to keep an eye out for spider mites, aphids, and fungus gnats that will happily feast on your healthy leaves in the sunshine.
If you spot sticky residue, tiny webbing, or small holes in your leaves, then it’s time to act as quickly as you can. Treat these symptoms with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or any natural remedies you’ve developed at home.
You can also try and introduce some fragrant plants that will naturally keep bugs away for a bit of variety, although you may not be able to solely rely on this method.
Pro Tip:
When you buy new additions to your jungle family, be sure to quarantine them for the first week before grouping them with your other plants, as they can bring in outside nasties and pass them on to your healthy, happy friends.
Keep an eye on them for a few weeks and treat any signs of bugs in the same way, then you can integrate them into your little forest and master indoor plant care for summer at home.
Don’t Stress, Just Adjust
So now you have taken on board some of the best ways to have healthy plants, and how to care for them during the summer heat, it’s largely about staying attentive and being adaptive to the conditions.
Small changes like moving pots around, checking moisture levels in the soil, and keeping a watchful eye for collecting dust and bugs can make a massive difference to the overall health of your plant life.
Remember, your plants are living things, treat them like housemates, not ornaments and you’ll thrive together.
