Gardening experts offer advice to combat summer heat and drought

Extreme summer weather conditions, including heatwaves and drought, are significantly impacting gardening and agriculture. Experts from the Bayerische Gartenakademie suggest using mulch, compost, and green manure to improve soil moisture retention and combat drying soil. To protect plants from intense sun, gardeners can use shade structures or select heat-tolerant species like lavender.

In vegetable gardening, heat is causing specific issues such as blossom end rot in tomatoes. This is often caused by irregular watering patterns that disrupt calcium transport rather than soil deficiency. Additionally, extreme heat can lead to reduced harvests; for instance, in Offenbach, gardeners have reported significantly lower tomato yields due to heat-related pollen issues affecting pollinators like bumblebees.

Regarding regulations, current drought restrictions in some regions distinguish between ornamental lawns and edible vegetable gardens. While watering lawns may be restricted, vegetable gardens often have specific allowances, such as being permitted to water outside of peak heat hours. Gardeners are also cautioned against using household substances like white vinegar or salt as weed killers, as these can damage soil biodiversity and fertility.