No matter what the summer conditions had been, a late summer or early fall heat wave can still hit and catch your clients by surprise. As the climate warms and seasonal patterns become less predictable, it pays to be prepared for a wider range of weather conditions and events. High heat when least expected can mess up plants as you go into the dormant winter season.

Here’s a look at how you can care for your clients’ plants if you are faced with hot weather late in the season:

Apply Hydretain

You’ve been applying Hydretain to lawns and landscapes throughout the season anyway, right? Surviving late season heat waves or dry spells are a good reason to reapply. Treatments last for 90 days, so if you made an application in June or July, then late September or early October is a good time to put more down. An end of season application before irrigation systems are turned off is good idea, since that will help with any unexpected late heat and help prevent winter desiccation. Make sure the ground is thoroughly soaked before applying Hydretain.

Keep Grass Longer

Keeping grass higher than usual will help lower stress by limiting how many resources are needed to survive the heat and dry conditions. This allows the turf to better withstand any heat and drought experienced in fall.

There is debate among the lawn community about the best length but keeping grass between 3 and 6 inches will be sufficient. When the risk of heat waves has passed later in the season, you can cut the grass to a shorter height.

Water Earlier

You won’t need to water as much with Hydretain applied, but it helps to get your watering and irrigation done earlier in the day, before it gets too hot. This allows the roots to absorb all the water and nutrients they need before there’s too much evaporation or risk of heat stress.

Recover From Heat Stress

Certain products like NutriRoot or CytoGro can help plants survive unexpected heat stress. Both products help with root development, which ensures plants can absorb more water and nutrients. These products should be applied every 6-8 weeks through the growing season, but you can end strong by applying the initial rate before plants go dormant in late fall.

NutriRoot is made with Hydretain, but it doesn’t hurt to use both along with Hydretain for extra moisture management capability! And for turf, you can use FOURPlay for additional benefits.

Late season heat waves don’t need to be a disaster for your clients’ plants. With enough preparation, your plants can survive unexpected weather conditions and even unseasonably high temperatures.