CULT:drought

Several years ago, Dave Niswonger wrote an article for the Bulletin on dry  
mulch.  The general idea was to cultivate the top layer of soil as a form  of 
moisture retention.  Anyone have any thoughts on this process?   Much of the 
country is experiencing drought after an early spring that  devastated our bloom 
season.  
 
I was reminded of this as I watched a neighboring farmer cultivate his corn  
crop.  His corn has grown despite the weather problems.  He and I  received 
1.5 inches of rain on the 2nd that was not recorded in other parts of  the 
region.  
 
Many lifetimes ago I had more gardening energy.  I watered the garden  once a 
week and then cultivated the surface as soon as it dried.  It was  the 
prettiest garden I've grown.  It didn't hurt that I'd applied very aged  manure from 
Dad's old barn.
 
I'm reminded of these things again this morning as I cultivate the seedling  
beds.  Thank goodness for swivel hoes!  Most of it was done while  seated on 
my kneeler!    I will plant a little further apart next  year!  I had the 
problems in 2004 with the one bed that might have been  related to pre-emergent.  
I've decided to delay applying pre-emergent on  the seedling beds until I'm 
sure the seedlings have developed good root  systems.
 
 
________________________________________________________
Betty W.  in South-central KY Zone 6 ---If you don't cross them, you can't 
plant them!  
Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
Where the seeds are in the pots once  again! 
_www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/_ 
(http://www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/) 
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