Microclimate « iHomeTips.com

January 24

Posted on January 24th, 2012 at 5:23 PM by administrator

Microclimate gardening
Article from The Wenatchee World Online:

Mary: A maxim often utilized by WSU Master Gardeners when dispensing gardening advice is “right plant, right place.”

Brad: I think on the hierarchy of WSU Master Gardener maxims, it’s actually right under “If life deals you tomatoes, make Bloody Marys.”

Mary: If only that were true. That is, however, a nice segue into how gardening enthusiasts can learn to use microclimates in their gardens so that they can put the right plants, in the right places. Doing so, however, requires the gardener to look well beyond the USDA hardiness zone designation for their plants.

Brad: Now, we’re not saying that knowing the local USDA hardiness zone isn’t important. It’s just that it answers only one basic question: what is the minimum temperature that this plant can withstand? For gardeners to make sure that the plant they are placing in a particular spot is going to thrive, they need to take so much more into consideration. And that’s where understanding the particular microclimates present in your garden comes in handy.

Mary: Essentially, a microclimate is the climate of a sma…………………continues on The Wenatchee World Online
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Don Davis takes a look at gardening trends
Article from Lynchburg News and Advance:
By: Don Davis | Lynchburg News and Advance
Published: January 24, 2012 Updated: January 24, 2012 – 4:57 PM

You may notice certain gardening trends involving plants, products and practices. Some are new; some are not.

Economic conditions continue to fuel widespread interest in growing fruits and vegetables. Other reasons for planting food crops are flavor, nutrition and convenience.

Organic gardening is more popular than ever. More gardeners are growing plants with organic fertilizers and attempting pest control with products of a biological nature rather than with conventional pesticides.

Some examples include spraying neem for Japanese beetle control and using dipel for worms on broccoli. Similarly, you can control root disease with a biological fungicide such as Rootshield.

Sales of organic seeds are greater than ever before………………….continues on Lynchburg News and Advance

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