One thing that works for me in addition to mulch is shading the sides of the container by setting it inside a larger container or a planter box so there is a little empty space between the two. Or you can put something decorative next to the containers on the south and west side to shade just the root zone rather than the whole plant. It's surprising how hot the sides of the container will get in the sun, especially when sitting on a paved surface. With shade from the side and mulch on top, the plant roots are less overheated and the soil loses less moisture to evaporation while staying more evenly moist between waterings.
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