Make your rows and open up a furrow. Soak the bottom of the furrow with water and then sow the seed, covering it with dry soil to the proper depth. This will help prevent crusting. Finally, lay boards or wet burlap down the row to give some more protection from the intense heat. Drip irrigation combined with mulch is an excellent way to maintain high quality vegetable plants throughout the summer.
Drip systems are easy to install and require less water than sprinkler or furrow irrigation.
Frequently check emitters for clogging. As a matter of fact, marigolds planted in late summer and carried into fall tend to have brighter colors than spring-planted marigolds. Spider mites, the number one pest of marigolds, are not as prolific during the cooler days of fall as they are in the summertime. Copper plants should be planted now so they'll have time to grow before they turn the reddish copper color in the fall. Once a plant's energy goes to maturing seeds, blooming will slow down or stop.