LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Temperatures are heating up in the valley and according to gardening experts this is the time to prep your summer garden. Whether you want to add some flair to your yard or harvest some homegrown produce, knowing what to grow and how to protect it will ensure your garden flourishes no matter the season.
“The biggest thing you can do to prepare for the heat is getting your plants healthy and strong,” said Matthew Fischera, regional manager of Moon Valley Nurseries. “(It’s about) creating a nice, deep-water cycle and feeding your plants. They need vitamins and they need food here in the desert. Our soil isn’t the most nutritious and we’re not getting (as much) rain as other states.”
Fischera recommends running a slower cycle for a longer period of time, according to Las Vegas Valley Water District requirements. This time of year, a good plant could be a 30 to 45 minute water cycle of a slow drip.
“Depending on the plant and the type, you want to create that low, slow cycle so the roots are strong on their own,” Fischera said. “And then you want to create the dry-out time. The dry-out time is just as important as the wetting time so those roots can be strong on their own.”
Now, when it comes to choosing the right produce for your garden, you want to keep the season in mind. Heading into summer, stone fruits, or fruits with a pit or “stone” in the center encased in a fleshy outer area like apricots, nectarines, peaches and figs, are becoming ripe now and can start to grow and flourish in the next few months and even weeks as the days heat up.
“These things pop in the summertime heat,” said Fischera. “As soon as that sun comes out, it gives all those nutrients to the leaves and then the fruit.”
Despite myths, Fischera says summer is a great time to harvest, especially if you’re hoping for some fresh autumn produce in the next few months.
“You have your pomegranates, lemons, limes – those are really the ones that get through the fall harvest,” he said.
For care guides on specific plants and produce, visit this link and select the “Resources” tab.
