From sizzling heat to devastating floods, this summer has been filled with a lot of erratic weather. It’s putting gardeners through the ringer. Even seasoned gardeners might be scratching their heads about what to plant and when.
The wild weather means some plants are thriving, while others can’t handle the extreme weather and storms.
It “gets very frustrating” to gardeners who spend a lot of time in the spring getting their plants ready, says Charlie Nardozzi, a horticulturist and host of the “Connecticut Garden Journal.”
Speaking on Connecticut Public Radio's "Where We Live," Nardozzi says there are some tricks to protect your plants from storms.
One solution? Diversify your garden and rethink where you plant vegetables, he says.
"Mix them in with some flowers ... or even [plant] shade-loving vegetables that can grow under trees," he says.
When moving plants, he says to make sure they get the right amount of light. Raised beds and containers can also be an option to help diversify where you plant, he says.
“Having plants in different locations kind of ensures that something's going to survive,” he says. "If you have them all in one spot and that area gets flooded, then you've lost it for the season."
Gardeners should also consider covering plants to protect them from insects and severe weather like hailstorms, he says.
While where you plant is important, what you plant can also make a big difference, he says.
"Diversity is really key to ... have a healthy garden,” he says.
While plant diversity helps, so can a little flexibility in planting schedules. Climate change means fall is getting longer and warmer, Nardozzi says, so if you’re looking to plant fall crops, he believes the time is now.
"Especially if you're doing annual vegetables and even some flowers and herbs,” he says, “be planting things in July and August, and even now, late August for the fall, because we could go – in some places – to November, December, before [there is] a killing frost."
Learn More:
Listen to the full interview on Where We Live: “How to get your garden flood resilient and fall ready.”
Connecticut Public's Catherine Shen contributed to this report.
