Dry Spell Gardening
Here are my tips to help you conserve water to prepare for and during drought, or if you live in the desert. This is the most pressing issue you need to be concerned with during these types of summers, where the likely-hood of drought is high.
Don't Fertilize - Fertilizer for plants is like coffee for humans! It increases water consumption, boost growth and energy production.
Mulch - Mulching helps to lock in moisture in the soil and caps the heat penetration to your soil. You are still going to need to water within the limits the city sets for your town until the drought is over.
Avoid Planting - The above said, planting is something to avoid in the summer. Wait until fall when your are out of drought to conserve water. New plantings need the most water and care until they are established. And remember to choose plants that are drought tolerant when you are picking out your plants in planning your garden for future drought tolerance.
Put Your Plants In Their Place - Group your plants together with the soil they like and environment they like.
Water Directly - Put the water directly on your plants roots. Drip watering systems are great for this because you can target to the root zone of each plant conserving water. You can also hand water with a good ole fashioned watering can. Deep soaking is better than short and frequent because it trains for drought tolerance, similar to how the rains don't come everyday, but often come in spells with deep soakings.
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