GARDEN
The solution is not to panic water or overfeed. It is to work zone by zone and build resilience over radiance. A garden that holds up through mid summer is one with protected soil, deeper roots, smarter watering, and feeding that strengthens plants rather than pushing soft, thirsty growth.
WHAT GARDENERS ARE UP AGAINST IN MID SUMMER
Heat stress: As temperatures climb, plants lose water faster through evapotranspiration. When roots cannot keep up, leaves curl or dull, flowers drop, and growth slows. Many plants are not dying, they are defending themselves.
Wind stress and windburn: Hot, dry winds can be as damaging as the sun. Wind increases evaporation and can cause windburn, where leaves dry out at the edges because moisture is pulled out faster than roots can replace it. In exposed gardens, wind protection and mulching matter as much as watering.
Hydrophobic soil: One of the most surprising mid summer
GARDEN
MARKtoe! Februarie 2026 105