drought – Page 2 – Black Gold

Mulching Gardens With Black Gold Amendments

When the drought is long, soils are poor, and money is short, one way to revitalize struggling garden plants is to protect their roots with mulch. Good mulches help to retain moisture, cool the root zone, and discourage weeds. The conventional wisdom is to mulch with wood chips or ground up bark, but both are very slow to decompose and can bind needed soil nutrients. The better option is to protect small beds and containers with organic-rich amendments that give back.

Garden Mulches for Soil Enrichment

Rich compost, peat moss, coir, or Black Gold Earthworm Castings are all amendments that double as mulches–alone or as home-mixed blends–in small ornamental gardens or vegetable gardens. All offer needed organic matter, which helps soils better retain water and maintain porosity. They also offer structural and water-holding benefits. For example, Black Gold Garden Compost Blend contains peat moss for water retention and compost give poor soils better aeration for easier establishment and performance.

Amendment mulching is often most effective in shaded areas because it helps to simulate conditions on the forest floor. If you take a cross section of this “duff” layer, you’ll see that it’s mostly leaves or needles with a fine, dark layer that sits right on top of the earth. It’s rich in decomposing organic matter, which is why shade plants are often surface rooted.

Landscape Mulches for Trees and Shrubs

This is also true of acid-loving plants, such as azaleas or camellias, which develop a wide, shallow root system where the majority of the soil nutrition lies. In fact, without a yearly surface application of organic matter, these plants can suffer. All too often you see the surface roots of azaleas exposed after years without the addition of a mulch layer. The organic matter is essential to keep their roots moist and cool, especially when drought descends. We recommend mixing a 1:1 of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend and Black Gold Peat Moss for acid lovers. Both products offer needed organic matter and peat moss is a little more acid, which benefits these plants.

Assess your favorite plants, planters, individual trees and shrubs to determine if they will benefit from this special treatment. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of amendment around the base of the plant. Always keep it few inches clear of the trunk to prevent bark-to- mulch contact, which can induce stress and rot. Extend the mulch layer out to the edge of the drip line.

Don’t work the amendment in. Just smooth and pat it with your palm to flatten it out for better soil contact. Moisten often with just a light spray or collected household water to keep these amazing shrubs and trees happy on minimal rainfall. For areas with brief drought, mulch provides great short-term protection from an abnormally dry or hot summer.

As landscapes everywhere are being altered to be more efficient, don’t forget that amendment mulch can mean so much more to your plants. If you already have bark mulch in place, the next best thing is to sprinkle amendments over the bark, so they can filter down and provide support the next deep water day or after a welcome summer cloudburst.

Preparing Broadleaf Evergreens for Drought

Sarcococca - Copy — With good care and moisture, broadleaf evergreens with thrive even in the toughest drought times.

In the summer of 2015, the Pacific Northwest experienced one of the longest periods of no measurable rainfall as well as some of the highest temperatures ever recorded. It started in July, then August, then September and continued into October. Gardeners were struggling to maintain their gardens with the unseasonable dry periods and temperatures in the 90s. A huge challenge for gardeners were their container plantings. By mid to late summer, many plants in containers, having grown all summer, had filled the pot with roots and thus needed a daily watering. Sometimes once a day was not enough. Plants were wilting, leaves were scorching and some plants, especially those that were newly planted, did not survive. So it was not only the plants that were stressed, but the gardeners as well.

Rhody rex — A rhody showing significant drought stress last summer due to lack of water.

Fortunately for me, and the many containers in my garden and on my deck, I had used Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil with RESiLIENCE®in most of them and Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil with RESiLIENCE®in others. But plants established in the ground were another matter. What could I do to help them survive and thrive next summer should similar circumstances arise?

Susceptible Broadleaf Evergreens

Broadleaf evergreen plants like rhododendrons, azaleas and kalmia were hit particularly hard. These are plants that are accustomed to a cooler environment and enjoy some protection from the hot afternoon sun even in a “normal” summer season. In my garden some of these plants, even in a partially shaded section of the garden, would have very wilted leaves by late afternoon in spite of being irrigated earlier in the day. In most gardens broadleaf evergreens like these are established plants in the ground, not in containers, and so amending the soil in the root zone is not possible. .

Since the weather is a great unknown, I am going to do some preparation to prevent this kind of damage just in case there is a repeat summer of heat and dry like last year. One thing that we can all do is to walk through our garden at this time of year and take a good look at the plants that suffered last summer. Perhaps they are not in the best location and would perform and thrive much better if they were moved. Since we have had rather predictable summers during the previous years, I think that many of us, including myself, have stretched the “zone” where some of these shade-loving plants are planted. If something does need transplanting, this is an ideal time to plant many evergreen plants.

Gunnera, scorched leaf — Gunnera showing leaf scorch.

Relocating Broadleaf Evergreens

If a decision is made to transplant some of these broadleaf evergreens, now is your perfect opportunity to amend the soil in the new location. My favorite soil amendment is Black Gold Garden Compost Blend as this can be worked into the soil around where the new plant will be placed. This will then help to hold moisture in the soil and can help alleviate some of the drying that can occur with lack of water. On other existing plants that are not going to be transplanted, try working into the top 1-2 inches of soil some Black Gold Just Coir. That has wonderful water-holding capabilities.

Don’t wait until summer arrives to do these chores. By being a step ahead, it is possible to keep your plants in an overall healthier condition. And even if the upcoming summer is not a scorcher, your plants will thank you for the extra care you gave given them.

How to Manage Mice in Raised Planters

Young tomato seedlings in my Grow Box – note the water-fill opening and mouse access on front.

As the heat of “dead summer” begins its slow ebb into fall, it’s planting time in California and the Southwest. While most folks across the US plant in spring, here the mild fall is our second growing season for food crops. What we grow now feeds us into the holidays with roots and greens and maybe even squash or peppers with the right system and climate. I grow many ways, in raised beds with row covers, in the greenhouse and out in the open air, depending on the season and crop. This allows me to compare the methods for different crops at different times of the year.

mature — By June, my tomato plants were healthy and happy!

Planting Grow Boxes

Last year I tested Grow Boxes in the greenhouse attached to the south side of my home. With such low humidity in the desert, these boxes with their 4-gallon reservoir keep plants far better hydrated than any other method. The box is designed so plants produce long trailing roots that dangle into a large water reservoir sucking up all the moisture they need rather than being limited to watering times. Last year I planted the boxes with tomato seedlings in February when high UV in the desert allows greenhouse growing in the high desert and year around in the low desert.

I selected ordinary tomato varieties to evaluate how well the boxes work here. Because indeterminate tomato varieties are long blooming, I wanted to determine if my tomatoes could indeed become perennial and produce year around without frost. I was thrilled to find the seedlings literally exploded out of the boxes and never stopped growing or producing new fruit until that sudden August decline. The tomato plants quit taking up water, became discolored and generally failed for no particular reason. And whenever I don’t know the reason, my mentor always advised, “dig a hole”.

Grow box Sept — Grow box with tomato roots

Managing Mice in Grow Boxes

The cause was revealed when I disassembled the boxes to take my first glimpse at the roots that should dangle down into the water reservoir. They were gone! I discovered this was due to a design flaw of the Grow Box: reservoir accessibility to mice in my greenhouse during our blistering desert summers when they are keen on cool, moist places. The Grow Box opening for water access is easy for any small rodent or insect to enter. When water was low or dry in between fill-ups, the mice entered the reservoir and literally ate all the dangling roots, explaining why my tomatoes suddenly quit taking up water. We finally captured the mice, but there may be more in the future. I’ll be fashioning a hardware cloth cover for the fill holes of my six Grow Boxes to keep smaller creatures out, or the very same thing will happen again in this rodent-rich desert, particularly if grown outdoors on porch or patio!

roots consumed — Grow Box with tomato roots eaten by mice

This year I upgraded and replaced the potting soil with Black Gold Moisture Supreme Container Mix with RESiLIENCE®, which I hope will enhance the wicking crucial to the function of the Grow Box. This year I will test fall-planted vegetables in the greenhouse Grow Boxes to learn whether the fruit will ripen in November, despite cooler weather and shorter days. Only testing will prove whether plants that require pollination and long, hot days to ripen can be coaxed to fruit in the short, dark, cool winter.

Here in the desert, and everywhere else that is difficult to grow things, these quasi-hydroponic Grow Boxes are an ideal way to keep plants fully hydrated and healthy. They are a useful solution to grow efficiently in drought. And now with Moisture Supreme, they will be better able to take the heat, and perhaps I will finally learn whether or not indeterminate tomatoes can indeed be grown year round in my greenhouse.

Dealing With Pacific Northwest Drought

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have had a summer with some of the highest temperatures and least rainfall on record. I believe that we have had more days with temperatures over 90 degrees F since weather temperatures have been recorded. While gardeners here often say we are in a zone of “winter wet and summer dry”, we certainly do not expect the summers to be this dry. Furthermore, not only were the days hot, the night temperatures did not cool down as usually occurs in the summer.

By August, many plants had leaves that had been scorched.

Garden Drought Stress

As a result of the heat and drought, many plants suffered. Plants were wilting even though the soil was wet as it was so hot for certain plants that their roots could not take in moisture to supply the leaves and the leaves wilted as though they did not have adequate moisture. In my own garden, I would water plants in the morning and see them wilting by noon. I would check the soil and it was moist. As plants stressed and leaves wilted, the leaves would often scorch or become sunburned. It became a constant effort to keep the garden looking good and with garden tour groups coming for a visit, I felt it was imperative to keep my plants looking as good as possible.

Since we do not usually have summers like this, many gardeners including myself had planted many plants that require more cool and moist conditions. Hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and azaleas are mainstay plants in many gardens and these are all prone to heat stress. By August, many plants had leaves that had been scorched,

Coir naturally holds water at the root zone, so it proved to be a good amendment for the unusually dry season.

Garden Drought Stress Solutions

In my garden, I also have many plants in containers and having used Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil proved to be a huge benefit. As the summer heat continued, I used Black Gold Just Coir as a top mulch in some of my pots and this was an excellent mulch to help the soil retain moisture. I have learned that coir, which is coconut pith, has amazing water retaining capabilities. In several of my hanging baskets, I had used Black Gold Cocoblend Potting Soil at the time of planting and this was a tremendous asset in keeping these containers from drying out with the summer sun, heat and sometimes dry wind. Black Gold Cocoblend Potting Soil was particularly effective with the fuchsias and begonias which need plenty of moisture and even in September, these plants were full of flowers and looking great.

Mulching our plants is something we can often forget but the benefits of mulch can be enormous. Mulching helps to conserve water and we are all learning that water is not the unlimited resource that it has been. As an added benefit to mulching, when I am planting new plants in the soil, I regularly use Black Gold Soil Conditioner. I mix it in the soil around the root zone and always work some into the top 1-2 inches of soil.

Rhododendrons have suffered badly in the unusual heat and drought of the season.

This was the summer when gardeners began to think about what plants they were planting and what location they were in. I learned that my hydrangeas need a little more shade to look their best and I will be doing some transplanting this fall. There is also a trend to use more plants that have low water requirements like Arctostaphylos (Manzanita), Ceanothus, Mahonia, and many others that have good garden appeal.

We need to remember that in nature, plants get mulched naturally by their leaves, flowers, and stems. In many home gardens, the area under plants is constantly being raked to keep it clean and ‘looking neat’, but we should not forget the role mulch plays in the health of a plant. Learn to know your plants, observe them, and my guess is they will ‘tell’ you if they need a mulch.

Diving Into Succulents for Drought

agave — This five-gallon potted *Agave americana* ‘Medio Picta’ adds succulent zest to this border.

With statewide water cutbacks in California, everyone will have to rethink some of the plants in their home landscape. Rather than viewing this as a tragedy, make it an opportunity to dive into some of trendiest plants filling gardens of the rich and famous: succulents. If you’ve always wanted that great succulent look, but have never grown one before, there is no better time to make the change.

echeveria — Extraordinary *Echeveria* hybrids can be inserted into beds and borders as individual accent plants.

In the past, most gardeners planted water-guzzling garden flowers. Instead, fill these spaces with exciting and colorful succulents. This is a great idea for high-profile areas around outdoor living spaces, pools and spas, or courtyards where you can enjoy their diverse beauty up close and personal. Be prepared to treat them as seasonal color if you live in a frosty climate; just dig and pot them up at summer’s end to green up indoor rooms all winter long.

The single biggest problem with succulents in traditional gardens is too much water caused by over irrigating in slow-draining ground. This condition rots succulent roots and stems like an overwatered houseplant, so they fail to thrive. When irrigation cut backs are drying out your planters, solve the soil dilemma by creating pockets of Black Gold Cactus Mix to improve rooting conditions.

raised bed — Spice up raised planters by replacing the top six inches of soil with Black Gold Cactus Mix and plant with colorful small succulents.

Do this with larger succulents by replacing the soil one planting hole at the time. This brings the vibrant echeverias, festive flapjacks, and the popular black aeonium into your yard. If you’re planting a six-inch potted specimen, dig your hole twice as wide and half again as deep as the nursery root ball. Puncture the natural soil at bottom of the hole numerous times with a piece of pipe or rebar. Go as deeply as you can to provide miniature sumps where water will go rather than accumulating at the bottom of the hole. Then fill with potting soil and plant away.

If you have a built-in masonry planter, create a jewel-box garden. This is a term is used for the vivid succulent gardens that are as colorful as the contents of grandmother’s costume jewelry box. Here you can plant the lovely rainbow of kalanchoes, flowering aloes and geometric crassulas. When you add cold hardy succulents such as sedum and sempervivums, they’ll remain through the coldest winter to again anchor next year’s display.

BG Cactus Mix front — BG Cactus Mix is a great choice when planting succulents for drought.

Remove the top six inches of soil in the planter and replace it with cactus potting soil, then arrange your colors in drifts or swaths of small bright plants. Accent them with sparkling slag glass, driftwood or special rock minerals and crystals for an exciting jewel-box look.

Although this California drought is a disaster for many, it may be the catalyst you need to replace water-intensive plants with exciting new succulents. Sure, you may not know their names or their ultimate form, but over the coming months you’ll learn to recognize them and get a feel for how each grows. And though we are often averse to change in life, it’s the doorway to our greatest accomplishments.

Garden Soil Amendments and Mixes for Water Retention

stand alone pot — Arm your garden! Amend beds for maximum water retention in preparation for dry summer weather.

With our early spring weather here in the Pacific Northwest, many plants seem to be about two weeks ahead of what we would consider their normal blooming schedule. We have had a season that has been one of the most magnificent for flowering magnolias that I can remember. Roger Gossler from Gossler Farms Nursery in Springfield, Oregon told me that he thought this spring blooming season has been one of the best ever, and Gossler Farms Nursery probably has one of the largest selections of magnolias growing in a private garden in North America.

I mention Magnolias, but they are not the only plants that are either blooming early or have emerged early, like our many herbaceous perennials. Many hostas are in full leaf and looking as they do in May! What does all this mean for gardeners? It means that if we are going to amend our existing soil, the time is now. It is much easier to add garden soil amendment now before our garden beds become covered with foliage that makes it more difficult to actually ‘work’ the soil.

BG Just Coir front — Coir (coconut pith) is one of the best natural amendments for water retention.

Several days ago as I strolled through my garden, I noticed that my Gunnera tinctoria was sending out new stalks. It reminded me that my Gunnera struggled for moisture last year when these plants grow best in moist damp soil. So, I added Black Gold® Just Coir around the base and worked it into the top several inches of soil. Coir is processed coconut pith (coir), which has proven to be an excellent soil amendment for water retention.

Spring is also an excellent time to address hanging baskets and other container plants. Plants in containers tend to dry out much more quickly on a summer day than plants that are in the ground, and the more you are able to amend the soil in spring, the better.

In the many containers that I have in my garden, I always like to add some new potting soil every year. Before planting new flowers, I remove about half of the old soil and add new. My preference for new soil is Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil with RESiLIENCE®. It helps retain moisture and gets plants off to a good start.

For hanging baskets, I have found that they are prone to drying out quickly and sometimes need watering twice a day when the weather is hot and/or there are winds. Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil or Black Gold Moisture Supreme Container Mix with Resilience are ideal for hanging baskets, especially baskets with fuchsias, which require plenty of moisture.

Gunnera early spring — My Gunnera struggled for moisture last year, so I added Black Gold® Just Coir around the base this spring.

For the garden areas where I have shrubs and trees, the soil around established plants benefit from the addition of a garden compost or mulch. One of my favorite mulch amendments is Black Gold Garden Compost Blend. I work this product into the top several inches of soil each spring. It benefits the soil and plants by adding organic matter, loosening clay, and facilitating better drainage.

The use and availability of water has become a critical concern in many parts of the United States, and the Pacific Northwest is not immune to these concerns. While our rainfall has been about normal, the snowpack in the mountains has been far below what is typically expected. The lack of snowpack means that our reservoirs will not have the reserves they need for the summer months when water use is at its highest. By taking some steps now, we can help reduce our summer garden water requirements and still have a lush garden.

Autumn Sage for All Seasons

habit — Autumn sage matures into a large plant that reaches three feet in height and width.

When nature gives you lemons, it’s time to make lemonade. There’s nothing more powerful than drought to bring some really great plants front and center. In lieu of thirsty annuals this year, plant water-conserving perennials that live long and bloom even longer. There is no better choice than a rugged Texas native called Autumn sage (Salvia greggii), which has become the backbone of California arid flower gardening. It thrives just as well on the cool coast as it does the blistering low desert, proving this plant is among the most adaptable to less-than-ideal conditions throughout the southwestern states.

In the desert, Autumn sage is one of the few plants that continue blooming when temperatures approach 120° F. It is grown as a garden perennial but is technically a subshrub due to its semi-woody branches, which are key to its drought resistance. From its twiggy framework rises fast-growing stems with small leaves that end in carefree spires of vivid blooms.

The colorful flowers of Autumn sage look pretty even in the harshest weather.

The wild species produces firecracker-red flowers that hummingbirds find irresistible. Wild forms may be the most heat and drought tolerant because some cultivated varieties seem to be less tolerant of harsh growing conditions. Still, quite a few cultivars have proven their worth in arid gardens, allowing gardeners to fill their beds with multicolored Autumn sages that bring vibrant movement to the yard, no matter how hot the summer.

When choosing a spot for your sage, consider its natural habitat. In the wild, autumn sage grows in open sandy or gravelly ground or on rocky cliffs and slopes, so planting areas should have full sun and soil with rapid drainage. This makes sage an ideal problem solver for hot spots and erosive ground where fertility is too low for many other species. For best results in clay soils, amend beds with organic matter and raise the root crown a bit with rocks and potting soil to keep it above saturated ground.

Autumn sage is also suited to culture in pots for porch or patio. Container specimens do best when planted as mature, one-gallon-sized plants, though quart-sized specimens are fine for smaller pots. Grow autumn sage in spacious, well-drained containers that allow plenty of air and moisture movement. This reduces potential problems with root rot from wet soil. The ideal potting soil for this sage blends equal parts of Black Gold Cactus and Succulent Mix with Black Gold Natural and Organic Potting Soil with Resilience. This combination allows superb drainage during the cooler wetter parts of the year, while retaining enough moisture in hot, dry months to ensure rapid growth and continuous bloom.

Autumn sage is ideal for bringing hummers in close without the hassle of feeders. Stud your deck with different colored varieties. Consider more unique selections, such as ‘Hot Lips’ with its bicolored blooms of hot pink and white. Other forms come in colors such as snow white, purple and various shades of red, pink, magenta and coral. There’s no need to know the varietal names because these plants start blooming so young you can select them by flower color.

Two things keep Autumn sage blooming its heart out for months on end. First feed with a fertilizer formulated for garden flowers. Second, nip off any flower spikes that are through producing buds. This prevents seed development, which can slow new bud formation.

salvia g red — Hummingbirds can’t resist this plant and they will often nest close by.

Drought can be a challenge to traditional gardens and plants, but it’s a great opportunity to become familiar with new species for your landscape. As the lack of rain demands wild plants in the West to change their habits, we must change ours too, and by planting smart we’ll turn sour garden lemons into the sweetest most colorful lemonade.

Landscape Lessons from a Fremontia

fremontia blossom — Different flannelbush species are endemic to different California climate zones, from the West Coast foothills to the eastern mountain ranges.

For almost twenty years I lived on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada where the flora was rich in the most outstanding native flowering shrub species for drought resistant landscapes. The most valuable observation was seeing where they chose to grow in the wild. When you study the habitat of any plant closely enough, you learn exactly what it wants, and the conditions it prefers in your yard, too. Continue reading “Landscape Lessons from a Fremontia”

Mulching for Water Conservation

Make roses more drought resistant by mulching well, but keep mulch clear of the woody base of each plant.

This year you’ll hear a lot of suggestions for helping your landscape make it through drought. Some are truly actionable while others may prove problematic. For example, many sources recommend relying on drip irrigation. This may be ideal for your veggie and flower gardens, but it can prove troublesome for trees and shrubs with vast root systems that don’t always respond well to poorly placed pinpoint watering.

Aside from smart irrigation, the second most effective way to help your beds and borders survive is to apply mulch. Mulching for water conservation is important. Mulch acts a lot like a sun hat on a very hot day; sun hats protect the head from direct sun exposure, keeping the body cooler and the face shaded. Mulch also reduces evaporation of water below its surface. There are many mulch options, the best being composed of partially decomposed organic material that is easily spread over the soil’s surface around plants.

Why mulch during drought?

There are three key reasons to apply mulch to beds before or during drought:

1. Mulch protects the soil surface from direct solar exposure, so the soil remains much cooler in the heat of the day.
2. Mulch acts as a moisture barrier keeping water from evaporating from the soil surface.
3. Mulch stops weeds from succeeding, which means more available soil moisture for your garden plants.

What materials make good mulches?

Black Gold Compost is a super mulch for the vegetable garden. — Black Gold Garden Compost is a super mulch for the vegetable garden.

Mulching during drought requires a thick layer of organic matter spread out over the surface of the soil. Fine bark mulch, pine straw, leaf mulch, and compost are all good organic mulching products. Knowledgeable landscapers utilize a 2-inch thick layer of mulch that’s thick enough to provide benefits but not so thick that rain or irrigation water cannot permeate the layer from above. Some forms of mulch, such as coarse bark mulch, do not break down easily, so they remain in place for a long time.

When rich, semi-decomposed soil amendments are used as mulch, they offer the additional benefit of adding quality organic matter, which increases soil fertility. Black Gold Garden Compost Blend feeds microbes in the soil while protecting plants from potential dehydration and heat when water is limited. When rains finally do return, this rich mulch can be turned under to add more benefits while the coarse bark mulches are best left on top.

How do you spread mulch?

You may be surprised to discover how much material is required for adequate mulching. Go cheap with a thin layer under 2-inches thick, and your garden will be riddled with weeds and the soil’s surface may crack from dehydration. Landscapers begin applying mulch by placing evenly spaced bags (or wheelbarrow loads) of mulching material over an entire garden area. Next, they use a shovel to stab the bags to break them open, so the contents are easily emptied when one end of the bag is picked up.( Be sure to collect and recycle the empty plastic bags.)

Remove grass in a ring around your young trees in lawns, then apply mulch to create free drainage to the tree roo — Remove grass in a ring around your young lawn trees, then apply an even 2-inch layer of mulch. Be sure not to mound mulch along the trunk!

The mulch is then spread to the correct thickness with a hard rake, being sure not to layer any over plant crowns or trees/shrub trunks. Mulch allowed to accumulate against a trunk or stem can cause crown rot. Avoid it by keeping several inches clear around the base of stems/trunks. When mulching slopes, allow more clearance on the uphill side to manage and reduce runoff and downhill accumulation. In windy areas, it helps to water and compact the mulch, if it’s fine like Black Gold Garden Compost, so it won’t blow away.

Mulching will always be the most effective way to reduce water demands without sacrificing plant health. For this year of weather extremes, don’t expect miracles because just keeping plants alive may be enough. Then when the rains return in abundance, your garden plants will spring up from that semi-dormant state more vigorous than ever.

borders — Spread mulches in and around your herbs and perennials to preserve soil moisture.

High Desert Vegetable Gardening

Successful vegetable gardening in the high desert takes effort but is rewarding.

Growing food in the high deserts of the American West is a challenge until you learn how to modify your microclimate. Not only is the high desert incredibly dry, it’s often windy, which can be a larger problem than drought. Hot or cold dry winds draw moisture out of leaves faster than the roots can replace it. If you don’t resolve the wind problem, you’ll find little success.

Protect Beds with Straw Bales

Potatoes thriving in high-desert soils boosted with lots of organic-rich amendments.

These dry climates allow bales of straw to remain intact for years. That’s why I use them around the perimeter of my high desert vegetable garden to block ground level winds. They are stable and strong enough to remain in place during our worst storm-driving winds and Santa Anas (strong, dry down-slope winds that originate inland and affect coastal southern and northern California). Bales can also be placed in the growing area to create mini windbreaks for rows or sensitive plants. They can be stacked two or three high into a wall on the windward side of the garden to add even more protection.

While winters are cold in the high desert, there is tremendous UV exposure due to the thin dry air. During the summer this exposure soars to such an extent that some plants just can’t take it. I use wire field fencing rolled into tubes in lieu of tomato towers. They’re perfect for another solution, using shade cloth attached with clothes pins to the west side of each wire tube. This helps plants during July and August when very hot afternoons can be tough on food plants.

Amend Your Soil

Protective fencing is needed to keep plants safe from animal pests.

High desert soils often lack organic matter, and that’s where Black Gold soil amendments can transform sandy gravel into fertile ground. Among the best choices for amending lean soils is Black Gold Compost Blend and Black Gold Garden Soil. These soils also need microbes which can be introduced using Black Gold Earthworm Castings that are naturally rich in these organisms so crucial to plant growth and soil health.

Building fertile ground takes time, so be sure to add more organic matter and nutrients every year at planting time. May 1st is the most universal date of the last frost, then the growing season is fast for the first month or two, until it slows down in the depths of summer. During August your plants may rest in the heat, then take off again in September growing rapidly until frost. Be sure to feed your garden at summer’s end with a tomato and vegetable fertilizer to help them flourish in this “second season”.

Feed Your Vegetables

Finally, select food plant varieties that are desert adapted. I’ve found many great candidates for this tough climate at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds because they tell you where each variety comes from. That’s where I found ‘Abu Rawan’, a tomato from Iraq that’s adapted to desert conditions. Choose these in lieu of heirlooms developed for ripening in the cool climates of northern Europe. Another great source is Native Seed/SEARCH, a seed vendor dedicated to the preservation of vegetable plants traditionally grown by the Southwest Pueblo Indian tribes.

Gardening in the high desert is easy once you solve the problems of wind, sun and very lean soils. But with a few straw bales and a load of Black Gold soil amendments, you’ll be all set to get started.

(To learn more about gardening in the high desert, read Raised Beds in Dry Country.)

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