Tips to Prepare Your Garden for Summer Heat on Water Wise Wednesday

Water Wise Wednesday, brought to you by the Coachella Valley Water District, is here to help residents prepare their gardens for the scorching summer ahead. As temperatures rise in May, so does the strain on both plants and gardeners.

Lorraine Garcia from the Coachella Valley Water District recommends a few proactive steps to protect your garden and reduce water usage. First, thinning out and removing crowded plants in garden beds can improve airflow and reduce competition for resources. Adding mulch is another effective strategy—it helps retain soil moisture, prevents weed growth, and shields roots from heat stress.

When it comes to watering, Garcia emphasizes the importance of using desert-friendly plants. “They naturally require less water and are more tolerant of extreme heat,” she said. She also advises homeowners to run their irrigation systems while they are home to detect and fix any broken sprinklers or clogged lines before the hottest months arrive. “You don’t want to deal with those issues in the middle of summer,” she added.

For more tips on how to conserve water and prepare your garden for summer, visit cvwd.org/conservation.

Water Wise Wednesday is sponsored by the Coachella Valley Water District.

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