PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A possible heat wave is predicted to hit the Portland metro area over Mother’s Day weekend and it’s coming right as many gardeners have just planted their seedlings.
Temperatures could climb to 90 degrees or higher, a record for this time of year in Portland. That heat could cause delicate young shoots to shrivel up if gardeners don’t take proper precautions.
“The ones out in the direct sun are the ones you’re going to want to pay the most attention to,” explained Mark Bigej, chief operating officer of Al’s Garden Center. “You’re going to want to make sure that they’re well watered and if they’re young and tender, you might even consider doing a little something to shade them from the hottest afternoon sun.”
Al’s Garden Center has stores in Woodburn, Sherwood, Gresham and Wilsonville. The business grows 80% of its plants it sells in its stores, so it knows the importance of protecting them from unseasonable weather.
Bigej said plants are overall pretty resilient, but this heat could set them back a bit. If plants are in containers, he said it’s a good idea to move them to the shade. For plants in the ground or in large garden beds, Bigej said they can be covered by a sheet – just make sure the sheet is lifted up above the plants, not draped directly on them.
Seeds that have been planted but haven’t germinated yet, meaning they haven’t sprouted from the ground, should be safe as long as they’re in moist soil.
Bigej said gardeners might consider giving their plants additional water sometime in the middle of the day, rather than only in the morning or at night.
“Our soil has been pretty wet because of all the rain. We just want to keep that top little layer moist,” he said.
Although temperatures will be warm this weekend, Bigej said it’s still a fine time to put seeds in the ground. However, for young plants that prefer the shade, it’s better wait until after the heat passes to plant them.
Mid-may is a great time to plant just about anything, Bigej said. Annual flowers, perennial flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs are all things people can put in the ground over Mother’s Day weekend.
For indoor plant owners concerned about keeping their plants alive in 90-degree heat, Bigej gives similar advice. He said bright, direct sunlight could shock these plants and moving them away from windows into shaded areas is one way to protect them. Once the high temperatures are over, people can move their plants back.
Bigej said Mother’s Day weekend is the busiest weekend of the year for Al’s Garden Center and the stores are preparing to see lots of customers out enjoying the sunshine.