Wildfires and Your Garden
As wildfire smoke becomes a familiar part of summer in Idaho, a few simple steps can help keep your garden and your harvest healthy. While smoke may reduce plant growth by limiting sunlight, most established vegetables, trees, and landscape plants recover well once air quality improves. The best thing you can do is keep plants consistently watered, but avoid overwatering, and if conditions are unhealthy, postpone gardening tasks until the smoke clears.
If ash settles on your garden, wait until the air is clear before gently rinsing leaves and produce with a light spray of water. Avoid using leaf blowers, which can stir ash back into the air, and wear an N95 mask and gloves while cleaning. The good news is that fruits and vegetables are generally safe to eat after being washed thoroughly. Root crops should be peeled, and leafy greens like lettuce and cabbage benefit from removing their outer leaves before use. If produce cannot be cleaned completely or your property was very close to a wildfire that burned structures, unfortunately, it's safest to discard it.
Healthy plants can make a comeback with proper watering and some time. Once the smoke clears out, you should see a return to regular growth. Don’t be dismayed; fresh, healthy, and homegrown produce is still on the menu even during wildfire season.
Additional resources for gardeners dealing impacts of with wildfires.