If you live in the desert or an area that has been experiencing increased drought conditions lately, you might be doubting your ability to grow a home garden. After all, don’t all gardens need plenty of rain and moisture to thrive?
Fortunately, dry climates can produce beautiful gardens too with a little extra care and attention to detail. Here are some dry climate growing tips to help you with your organic garden this spring.
Add Organic Matter to Soil
Dry climate soil can pose challenges for gardeners because it lacks the nutrients plants need to thrive. To make the best of use what you have, add organic matter to your existing soil to loosen it up and allow more space for roots to grow. For less compacted soil, add compost, leaves, or peat moss to the native soil.
Prevent Moisture Loss with Gravel
Another soil tip involves preventing the loss of moisture after it does occasionally rain or you water your garden. Add gravel around your plants to reduce moisture loss and help plants soak up the little bits of water they receive.
Offer Protection from Sun and Wind
Sun and wind in the desert can really give plants a beating, so it’s important to offer them some shelter whenever possible. To protect an outdoor garden, consider adding drought-tolerant trees to provide shade or simply placing your garden in an area of your yard that is shaded by your house in the hottest hours of the afternoon. To protect new or vulnerable plants from wind, you can place them next to a fence or next to tall and sturdy plants that can withstand windy conditions.
Focus on Native Species
It’s also advisable for dry climate gardeners to come to terms with the fact that not every plant will grow well in these conditions. Instead of forcing a favorite plant to grow in a place where it really doesn’t belong, learn about native plants and focus on these instead. You’ll have far fewer headaches and save money on your garden watering bill as well by simply embracing the beautiful landscape you live in.
Promptly Remove Weeds
Not only are weeds unsightly in a spring organic garden, but they can also steal away valuable resources that your plants need. Tend to your garden regularly and pull weeds out by hand when they are a couple inches tall or less. Never let them overtake the plants you’ve intentionally placed because they will multiple and compromise the growth of your flowers or vegetables.
Use an Organic Fertilizer
Desert gardens often need a fertilizing boost to get started and keep the growth going along productively. However, don’t use chemical compounds to fertilize your garden because these harsh substances can do more harm than good.
Instead, try Seagate Fish Fertilizer Concentrate for your flowers, trees, and vegetables and enjoy the lasting effects for up to four to five months. Just one container will fertilize hundreds of plants with a slow nutrient release that prevents the root-burn that is common with liquid and chemical-based fertilizers. For easy use, many organic gardeners swear by Seagate Seaweed & Fish Soil Tabs.
Practice Rainwater Collection
In places where rain is scarce, every drop of rain is valuable to a gardener. Look into rainwater collection systems to gather rain when it falls so you can use it to water your plants. Some desert areas experience annual monsoon seasons, which is a great time to collect as much rainwater as possible for future use.