The heat and humidity continues from August into September in Western Pennsylvania. Despite this tropical-like weather, our gardens require our time and attention.

When gardening in this heat, have a plan to take care of yourself when tending your garden and landscapes.

The day before your outdoor activities, decide what you want to accomplish and calculate the approximate amount of time needed to complete your activities. Prioritize your work plan based on the weather and garden needs.

Plan on working outdoors during the cooler times of the day, usually the early morning or evening. Check the weather forecast, including the heat and air quality indexes. Postpone gardening if the heat index is too high and/or the air quality is poor.

Dress properly for summer gardening by wearing light-colored clothing, sturdy foot wear and nonporous gloves. Don a hat and sunglasses.

Apply sunscreen on skin exposed to the sun; apply insect repellent if you prefer.

Take a container of cool water or fluid and drink frequently to prevent dehydration and replace fluids lost with perspiration.

Keep your fully-charged portable telephone and/or medical alert device with you, especially if you have a large property. Tell a family member, friend or neighbor when you plan to garden.

Gather your gardening tools, assuring they are in good working condition, and head outdoors to the garden.

Follow your work plan and complete only the amount of work that you feel comfortable doing.

Sit in the shade to take breaks and drink fluids, especially before your feel thirsty. At the first sign of fatigue or tiredness, stop gardening and go indoors to rest.

Very hot days may be relegated to non-strenuous activities, such as harvesting, weeding or deadheading.

Defer strenuous activities, such as heavy pruning, mulching and digging, for cooler weather.

Water garden plants in the morning, which allows the water to soak into the soil and prevents excess water loss from evaporation.

If you need to water your garden in the late afternoon or early evening hours, allow enough sunlight to dry the plants’ leaves. Damp leaves in the evening can lead to fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew. Watering with a drip or soaker system avoids wet leaves and can be done until nightfall.

Clean your tools and put them away.

After gardening, go indoors and cool off with fluids and a snack, perhaps a vegetable or fruit from your garden harvest. Wash sunscreen and insect repellent from your skin. Check exposed body areas for ticks, insect bites, cuts, scrapes and rashes.

Gardening in late summer’s heat is challenging. Personal safety is a top priority for keeping ourselves and our gardens healthy and strong.

Lisa Marie Bernardo, PhD, RN, is a Penn State Extension Master Gardener of Butler County.