Editor’s note: This commentary is by Ron Krupp, who is the author of “The Woodchuck’s Guide to Gardening” and “The Woodchuck Returns to Gardening.” and is working on his third Vermont garden book called, “The Woodchuck’s Guide to Landscape Plants and Ornamentals.”
As Mother Nature continues to turn up the heat, here are some garden suggestions. Along with the high temperatures, there has been little rainfall, causing drought conditions.
Watering — First off, test the soil with your finger. Poke down a few inches near the stem of the plant to check the root zone for a level of moisture. If you find the soil is dry, that’s the time to get out the hose and start watering on a regular basis.
Watering in the morning is best. This will allow the water to soak in before it evaporates from heat and dry wind, allows the leaves time to dry out if they get splashed, and plants will have the moisture to draw from during the heat of the day. Late afternoon is second best, just be sure the foliage will dry out before nighttime. Avoid watering in the heat of the day because water will evaporate much faster and any overspray on the leaves can cause them to burn. Plants benefit much more from a slow and deep watering than a quick splash. Again, make sure you’re watering deep enough to reach the fine feeder roots.
Water at the base of the plant with a watering wand, long-neck watering can, soaker hose, or drip system. Avoid getting the leaves, fruits, or vegetables wet to help prevent fungus diseases that thrive on moisture, like powdery mildew. Wind dries out plants quickly from moisture lost through the foliage — the larger the leaves, the more moisture lost (think squash, cucumber, coral bells, etc.). Protect plants with barriers, such as a structure made with shade cloth, or locate them out of wind-prone areas.
Fruits and vegetables need consistent water to produce well. Don’t let them go completely dry before watering them again because this can cause problems like blossom end rot or cracked tomatoes. Containers dry out much faster than the ground and will need more frequent watering, especially if they are placed in full sun or exposed to wind.
Mulching — Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch, such as bark, pine needles, hay mulch or shredded leaves. These mulches will help hold moisture in the soil and smother weeds. Sometimes folks throw away bags of fresh cut grass. Don’t be shy. Pick it up and use as a mulch in your garden plus the fresh green grass adds nitrogen to the soil. If you come down to the Tommy Thompson Community Garden in the Intervale in Burlington, you would see that my garden is covered in mulch hay, due to the dry conditions. I place a hose underneath the mulch next to the plants and let the water run while I’m weeding.
Weeds – Sarah Salatino of Full Circle Gardens in Essex Junction shared a few thoughts with me on weeds, which are thriving with all the heat this summer. Some weeds are annuals such as jewelweed (short roots), others are perennial such as burdock (long tap root). All weeds compete with your garden plants for nutrients, space and water. But, what is a weed? For example, Sarah loves Queen Anne’s lace, but not in her gardens or the perennial pots. One definition for a weed is a plant growing in the wrong place. I love are Queen Ann’s lace in white and chicory in blue, but like Sarah, not in my garden.
“Weeds and What They Tell Us” by Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer of Biodynamic fame, discusses the different varieties of weeds, how they grow and what they can tell us about soil health. There are many tools to combat weeds. Hoes are good for new weed seedlings with their ability to scrape down a few inches in the soil. If you have perennial weeds like thistle or burdock, use a digging fork to remove the whole tap root. A soil knife and a kneeling pad, works well, too, for smaller spaces. Bear in mind that if you only pull up the weed without its roots, you’ve defeated the purpose of weeding. Adding mulch will help keep weed seeds from germinating and will retain soil moisture. So folks, I wish you the best with watering, mulching and weeding this summer.
Correction: The author of this commentary was incorrect upon publication.
