Welcome to the garden! The classic signs of southern spring and approaching summer are showing up: the forests are greening up, critters are singing, chirping and looking for love.  With the recent rains, even here in western NC the air can be relatively hot and stuffy.

Many of us are getting outside and cleaning up the yard to get our gardens ready for planting. Part of being prepared with our garden tools, insect repellant and sunscreen as we go out into that heat to do work, is to remind ourselves about the risks of heat-related problems and strategies to deal with them. The seasonal temperature outlook map issued by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) predicts temperatures to be 40-50% above average through July.   "Know Before You Grow" is more than just plant and place knowledge.  It's knowing what to to expect out in the garden and what being prepared means for both you and your plants.

Gardening is a workout. Did you know that during activity, the body releases more than 70% of the energy used by muscles as heat.  Yup, we sweat. That heat loss is crucial to prevent an excessive rise in body temperature during activities. If heat exchange between the body and the environment becomes difficult, such as in hot or humid environments, our garden experience can be a bad one. Ignorance, like it usually does, can really make the situation much worse.

Technically speaking: A heat-related illness (HRI) is a potentially fatal disorder caused by elevated body temperatures from internal heat produced by activity or external environmental heat added to the body that cannot be removed to maintain normal body temperature.  Think about the courageous firefighters battling the blazes in our area recently who were facing the ferocious heat from those fires!

• Muscle cramps and weakness.
• Dizziness, headache, and irritability.
• Rapid, weak pulse.
• Vomiting.
• Profuse sweating with cool, clammy skin leading to hot, dry skin.
• Loss of consciousness.

If you suspect you or your garden partners are experiencing a heat related problem, stop work and begin measures to cool down.  Remember to Hydrate Often!   Let's keep our garden experiences fun - 'cause if it ain't fun, it ain't gettin' done!  For more information contact me at minda_daughtry@ncsu.edu or 828-554-1237.