Garden Clippings
Garden sense
By RUTH DAVIES
Article published on Thursday, April 5, 2007  |
Gardeners are delighted with the selection of plants that are available from growers at this time of year. What I don’t understand is why the dry season has to correlate with our spring.
Spot your plants, dig a hole, fill it with water, put in the plant, water and water and water, day after day.
Thank goodness we can turn on a tap and get water. I wonder if that will end soon, too, as development is growing faster than the rain clouds form.
At this point, I will give another plea to gardeners to use rain barrels to collect water from roofs. If the barrel is high enough off the ground, a hose can be attached to the spigot and watering is easier.
When it rains, there is so much caught, a second barrel can be parallel for additional storage. The plants love nature’s water too, although with tap water, plants are squeaky clean from chloramine and have no cavities thanks to fluoride.
Extension has regular rain barrel workshops where they can be purchased. Check by calling 582-2100.
Reading “Florida Gardening” recently, my eyes were opened to the use of rubber mulch, which I’ve seen but never used. The product makes sense, recycling tires, but I will quote the opinion of Brevard County Extension agent, Sally Scalera.
“It isn’t as good at weed control as wood chips,” she said. “It is more easily ignited and harder to extinguish; it does break down and can release metals and organic contaminants that are known to adversely affect the environment and possibly human health.”
Her report continues with details, but the bottom line is that with the potential for zinc toxicity, it’s just plain not good for the environment. Whenever possible, use recycled mulch from tree trimmers or purchase melaleuca or pine bark in bags. Wood mulch is beneficial to the soil and gradually breaks down to increase the quality of soil.
To take mulch one step further, my habit is to place sections of newspaper on the ground and cover with mulch – either leaves or wood mulch or both.
To be even more environmentally conscious, I’ve found a wonderful way to mix my compost with no effort at all. I’m preparing a new spot for the fall vegetable garden, so I’ve placed cardboard boxes, newspaper, leaves, dog food, manure and more leaves on the ground.
I don’t have a gas powered rototiller, but I have an industrious raccoon who churns the pile regularly looking for the nuggets of dog food. Now if only the varmint could do a rain dance so I don’t have to water.
Ruth Davies is a Pinellas County Master Gardener. She can be reached at sunflower1368@juno.com.
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Article published on Thursday, April 5, 2007
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