This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

dust mulch for hot dry climates

In Tx, this year, I don't think we'll have to worry overmuch about drouth 
conditions, but the last couple of seasons were very dry. Take a couple of 
lessons from the SW gardeners who are pros at getting the most out of a 
drink of water on a garden.
When you plant your seed, moisten the soil and lay burlap or a board over 
the surface. Check daily and remove the covering as soon as you notice the 
teensiest greenery underneath. Once the baby plant is up, give it a drink of 
water and 'mulch' with a scoop of dry dust around it to cover the damp soil 
and prevent it from drying out too quickly.
To conserve water when you water the garden, you could try (unsightly but 
efficient) cutting the bottom out of 2-litre soda bottles. Upending them 
(opened) about 1/2 way into the dirt and filling the bottle with water. 
Stage it so one bottle waters a mound or a square or several plants. The 1/2 
inch opening in the top will drain fairly slowly when it's compacted in the 
dirt. Or, if you find it drains too quickly, screw the top on and just poke 
a few small pinholes around the top.
And, for tomatoes, try planting the whole stem 'sideways' in the dirt. Roots 
will form the entire length of the stem, and creating a better hold in the 
soil for the plant as well as a bigger root system to sustain it with. I 
usually bury all but the top inch or so of leaves. (I just have to remember 
where the tomato stalks are when I weed.)
Hope this helps!
martha
--
To unsubscribe, send a message to: majordomo@lists.umsl.edu
with the single body line: unsubscribe sqft
Contact owner-sqft@lists.umsl.edu with any admin questions.
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index