Hit the Dirt; Watering Tips

Hello and welcome to another hit the dirt. As I sit here gathering my thoughts for this week's show the mercury in the thermometer outside my front door is climbing up into the 90s and the no weather forecasters were predicting only more of the same. Hot sunny and no rain. Well our main climate is generally considered to be on the wet side. And our annual precipitation totals are usually in the 40 to 50 inch range. The rain isn't often evenly distributed Unfortunately for us gardeners. The summers usually bring at least one extended hot dry spell during these times proper water and shade management is critical in determining how productive our gardens are. Needless to say this summer is definitely hotter and drier than normal for some crops such as melons. He can be a blessing resulting in earlier and more abundant harvests. However even these tropical tropical crops can be stressed by the kind of weather we have been having. There are a number of things you can do to ensure that your garden makes it through the drought heat wave nicely. The first thing is to see to it that the plants have access to adequate amounts of water. So if you are lucky enough to have access to water near your garden that will be a big help. I think

the best time to water is in the late afternoon into early evening with the sun sinking low in the sky. More of the water will be able to soak into the ground and less will be lost to evaporation. Avoid watering during the middle of a sunny day. The only watering I do then is for emergencies. If I happen to spot a plant that is severely wilting from lack of water. It is a lot more stressful to most plants to take in large quantities of water during the heat of the day. Watering the early morning is also good but for most people schedules it doesn't fit in as well because it be necessary to start watering very early in order to give the garden a good soaking before the sun starts climbing up in the sky. And that touches on the other important watering consideration water thoroughly. Whenever you water to encourage deep rooting of plants watering lightly Every day may actually be worse than not watering at all since it encourages the plants to form shallow root systems which are very vulnerable to drying out. For those of us without access to running water near the garden we have an even greater challenge to keep in keeping our gardens growing during the

hot dry spells. I have to lug water to my gardens in buckets so only those plantings which really need it such as newly set out seedlings get it for the rest of the garden mulching is the key to success. If the garden soil has abundant organic matter and or clay particles to hold water then a good mulch can help keep evaporation losses down and get the garden through even extended dry spell. There are many possible mulch materials and what you choose to use will largely be a matter of availability and personal preference for my garden beds. I prefer shredded leaves straw compost or seaweed in the pads. I find sawdust straw or pine needles works well. I don't use the plastic mulches for a number of reasons. One is that at this time of the year I want to keep the soil protected from the heat with the plastics actually make it even hotter. The beneficial organisms in the soil thrive in moderately warm soil but they don't like it too hot. Also the organic mulch is slowly break down to provide supplemental nutrients this year and a rich humus that will greatly improve the

condition of the soil next year. The plastic sheets must be pulled up at the end of the season and in the long run only serve to shorten the life of the local landfill and the world's petroleum reserves. And finally one of the things I really like about working in the garden is being immersed in a natural environment. Needless to say a garden covered in plastic doesn't have a really natural feel to it. Now even if you don't have access to all the molten material you need don't despair. You can always use a dust or dirt mulch. It is a simple technique that is a long tradition in Chinese agriculture to create it just lightly hoe the surface of the soil soon after each rain. The hoeing separates the top layer of soil from the body of the soil below. The surface quickly dries out but since it has been separated from the soil below a little moisture is then whipped up and the soil underneath stays moist. The dry surface layer can act as a very effective mulch. A windbreak can also greatly reduce water loss. A strong breeze especially a hot dry one can really suck a lot of water out of the plants and

soil. Basically anything that helps cut down on the wind blowing across the garden will help conserve water. A fence or hedge of Busch's can be excellent. So can a planting of talk crops such as corn or sunflowers around the perimeter of the garden. In addition to the lack of water heat itself can be a stress to many of the more cooling crops. Once again though there are steps that can minimize the damage. A good organic mulch will help to keep the soil cool and many crops are particularly sensitive in the root zone. Keeping them cool and moist below and they can take the heat above the soil. Using some kind of shading materials can make good garden sense too. We took advantage of the last rain to set out our fall broccoli and cauliflower received wings. But even so they have been having a hard time adjusting to the heat. To help them along until they get well established we cut tree and brush branches and stuck them in the soil all throughout the beds of the young seedlings to shade them. He didn't pick much time but it made a big difference in how the little plants are doing. Planting Kuhlman crops like lettuce among are next to taller crops like pole beans or corn

can also be an effective means of providing them with the shade they need. This time of year. And last but not least be aware of how the extreme heat is affecting you as well. Hot humid days like the ones we've been having can really fry a garder sun protection shade glasses and big floppy hats all make good sense this time of year. Also avoid heavy work during the middle of the day save those chores for morning and evening hours and take frequent breaks. And be sure that you drink plenty of liquids. Well I hope the rains fall soon on your gardens. Another hit the dirt.