We enjoyed an excellent and very informative presentation from Linda Gilkeson at our last meeting—a main message being this: The way we used to garden is not the way we will garden in the future. We have recently experienced a large variety of effects from the now unusual and variable weather, including forest fires, extreme heat and cold, drought, and floods. Linda provided some excellent suggestions on how we can cope with these changes, including not to push your plant hardiness zone. The lower minimum temperatures we’re experiencing in the winter will very much limit the tender plants that will grow in our area. Other suggestions included:
Choose disease resistant plants that can tolerate variable weather.
Listen to the forecast and act promptly to protect plants (ie shade cloths, cloches, floating row covers, staking).
Adapt crop schedules and be prepared to replant.
Make plans to install rainwater storage and micro-irrigation. Collect household water (ie as the shower water is getting warm) to use on plants.
Use mulch! It helps to reduce evaporation and keep plants cool in high heat. It keeps plants warm in colder temperatures. And it will control weeds and build organic matter in the soil.
A big thank you to Linda for speaking to us about this important subject.
Also, congratulations to Patricia F. for winning our garden harvest contest!
