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Gardening in the heat

Hanbidge on Horticulture
Patricia Hanbidge
Patricia Hanbidge

s summer finally strikes us, the temperature rises and continues to rise. We welcome the heat to enable our garden favourites to grow to their capacity but gardeners tend to wilt fairly quickly. However, there are ways to beat the heat!

Extreme heat is nothing to fool around with. Every year, heat is the main factor in many deaths, which is sad as detrimental effects by heat can be prevented, especially when you are gardening.  

Anyone can experience stress from the heat. However the very young and older folks will generally be affected more easily as their bodies do not adjust to the heat easily. Our bodies will cool themselves by sweating. This type of cooling is done through the process of evaporation. When you sweat your body loses water in the liquid form. As the water evaporates from your body surface your body will actually become cooler as your body heat is used as the energy needed to evaporate sweat. If there is a breeze then that process of evaporation will happen more quickly. Remember that if the temperature is too hot, this type of cooling will not be enough to keep your body cool enough.

To help to avoid heat stress there is also some other things that can be done.

Always drink plenty of water. If you feel thirsty, your body is already feeling the stress of lack of moisture. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. If you are working hard, you might need as much as three to four glasses of water each hour to offset the water loss due to sweating. Keep a waterbottle handy beside you to ensure it is easy for you to keep your body fluid levels up.

When your body sweats you not only will lose water but also salts and minerals. There are a number of sports drinks that will help to easily supplement this loss. For more severe imbalances it may be necessary to see your doctor.

On hot days it is a good idea to eat lightly.

Wear appropriate clothing for the temperature and always wear sunscreen. It is best to apply sunscreen a good 30 minutes prior to going outside.

Wear a good wide-brimmed sunhat.

Work outside in the coolest part of the day. Early mornings are an ideal time to garden.

Be willing to work more slowly when it is hot. If you are not used to the heat – work into it gradually.

If you find yourself feeling faint, dizzy or breathing too heavily, it is important to get out of the heat and cool your body down. Get into an air-conditioned location, have a cool shower or even spray yourself with the garden hose. If you find this does not alleviate the symptoms it is a good idea to seek medical attention.’

If you experience muscle pains or spasms in your arms, legs or even your abdomen, this may be a symptom of an imbalance within your body. Stop your activity, cool your body down and drink some clear fluids. If the symptoms continue, seek medical attention.

This summer when the temperature rises, don’t feel you can’t garden but do take the necessary precautions and garden wisely.

— Hanbidge is a horticulturist with the Saskatoon School of Horticulture and can be reached at 306-931-GROW(4769); by email at growyourfuture@gmail.comor check out our website at saskhort.com.