Work now to reap good harvest

By Kathy Hatfield
Gardening Columnist

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Unseasonably warm temperatures, drying winds and minimal precipitation add up to lots of stress for new garden transplants. This has already been a difficult growing season, but a few tips will help keep problems to a minimum and gardening pleasures at maximum enjoyment.

One of the most important treatments you can do for your vegetable garden is to add mulch. A good mulch can improve soil and plant growth and reduce garden maintenance. Mulches maintain soil moisture and temperature, reduce weed growth and help low-growing vegetables stay cleaner by avoiding contact with soil.

Of the two basic types of mulch, organic and inorganic, the benefits of using an organic mulch far outweigh those of using plastic and other synthetic mulches. Although plastic mulch can help to quickly warm soil in the spring, and keep soil moisture in while preventing weed growth, it is not biodegradable, it is unattractive, and it can prevent air from reaching plant roots and beneficial soil microorganisms. The soil can also become unbearably hot under plastic mulch, and what little precipitation we do receive will not penetrate the plastic.

On the contrary, a good organic mulch can keep soil temperatures cooler during the intense heat of summer and will decompose, adding valuable nutrients to the soil while improving soil texture and structure.

Before adding mulch, weed the area, then apply a layer 3 to 4 inches deep around the plants. Avoid piling mulch up against plant stems to discourage diseases and insect pests from hiding there. Adding mulch with a high-carbon content, such as sawdust or wood chips, can cause the soil microorganisms to quickly increase and use up available nitrogen. Before using such mulches, add a high-nitrogen material like chicken manure or fish emulsion to avoid nitrogen deficiency.

Compost tea

Most of the popular vegetable plants are heavy feeders. If we expect to harvest abundant vegetables from our gardens, we need to provide adequate nutrients for plant growth. Hopefully you added compost when you transplanted your vegetables or you have well-amended soil. To keep a good supply of nutrients available for your crops as they grow, you can add a top dressing of compost once or twice during the growing season.

Another good way to fertilize your vegetable garden is by using compost tea. This is a liquid fertilizer made by putting a shovelful of compost into a burlap bag. Close the bag by tying it tightly with heavy string, and then suspend it in a garbage can or bucket filled with water. Cover and let it steep for several days. Remove the bag and use the liquid to water at the base of your plants. Or you can dilute the liquid until it is the color of weak tea and use it to spray on plant leaves. This provides a quick shot of nutrients. Reuse the compost tea bag several times, then add the soaked compost to your garden. If you don't want the work of making your own compost tea, you can purchase compost tea bags or use a dilute fish emulsion to spray on plant leaves.

Watering tips

Watering is critical to the success of a vegetable garden. While popular garden vegetables are not candidates for a xeriscape, there are resourceful ways to use water in a vegetable garden. The most efficient way, especially in our hot, dry climate, is by using soaker hoses. My preferred method is to bury the soaker hose along the length of the plant row, covering it with soil and a layer of mulch. You will have to check the soil moisture to determine how often to water. The soil should be moist, but not soggy. If you put the whole system on a timer, you can leave your garden unattended for a time without having to worry about it withering from lack of water while you're gone.

Watering with sprinklers, especially during sunny afternoons, is a huge waste of water. Little of the water actually gets to your plant's roots; most of it is lost to evaporation. In addition, overhead watering can promote the spread of diseases on vegetable crops.

Stress in the form of too much or too little water, poor soil conditions, extreme heat and intense winds can reduce flowering and fruit formation. By minimizing these extreme conditions, we can look forward to an abundant harvest.