Extreme weather can be detrimental to vegetable gardens. As we begin the unofficial start of summer as well as hurricane season, we want to give you a few ways to meet any possible weather challenges with a plan and preparation.
Precipitation
Water is essential for healthy plant development, but too much water injures plants, compacts soil, and leads to erosion and root loss. Extreme summer rain can also leach nitrogen out of the soil. Here are some ideas to protect your crops:
- Cover them! Protect young seedlings by laying row cover fabric over the top of them and securing the edges. The fabric will keep the rain from battering the soil and plants.
- Create a hoop tunnel structure covered in row cover fabric. This will slowly filter the raindrops to the bed, preventing damage. These structures can be left up during the entire growing season (at Yard2Kitchen, they are an essential part of our winter gardens).
- Mulch beds with organic material to keep exposed soil from compacting from hard rain and to protect the root systems of plants. Try using compost, bark, leaves, or use sand and gravel.
- Build a raised bed, such as the ones we use at Yard2Kitchen. These are especially useful for managing flood-prone gardens that lack covering.
- Create a vertical garden. Staking tall plants may help them from breakage and can also give you more food production per square meter of ground than normal food growing.
Extreme Heat
A high temperature generally causes plants to mature early, but extreme heat will slow growth. Hot weather will cause your cool-season vegetables, such as lettuce, to bolt. Too hot or too cold temperatures may impede fruit set on your tomatoes and other vegetables and affect their flavor. Let’s look at a few things you can do to combat the heat:
- If you are growing plants in containers, move them to a shaded area to avoid heat stress.
- Shade your in-ground and raised garden beds by stretching a lightweight sheet or row cover fabric over stakes and securing it. And of course, a hoop tunnel is very helpful.
- Water regularly during a heatwave, preferably during the morning instead of in the middle of the day. Be careful not to overwater, as this may encourage plant diseases.
- Apply mulch to the base of your plants to keep moisture near the roots of your plants.
Drought
If you live in an area with frequent droughts, it is important to select crops that are more drought-tolerant, or faster harvesting crops such as leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. But here are a few other tips:
- Avoid watering every day. Plants can actually be get used to having to conserve so that when the drought is actually occurring, they don’t need as much. You can see this in lawns as well—they’re not dying, just resting.
- Cover the soil surface with plastic or organic mulch to conserve soil moisture and reduce weed growth. Weed control is important because it reduces competition for water and nutrients.
- When the drought ends, depending on the seasonality of the plant, refurbish by watering every three days will help it along.
Wind
Wind is an essential aid in the pollination process of some plants and grasses but it can also disperse pathogens and noxious chemicals. And strong winds can topple trees and other plants. If a storm or hurricane is coming, be prepared with a plan:
- Move hanging baskets and containers to sheltered areas where they cannot be blown away or broken apart.
- Stake tall plants that may suffer breakage.
- Set up wind barriers around your garden beds by using heavy bags of potting soil, rocks, or sand.
- Wrap large plants in burlap and secure with twine.
We wish you a happy summer and bountiful season! As always, please Contact Us if you are interested in your own backyard organic garden.
Resources:
https://grandsolarminimum.com/sustainable-living-at-home/growing-food-at-home-in-extreme-weather/
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/protect-garden-weather-extremes-31986