Viewing post #546252 by RoseBlush1

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Jan 27, 2014 7:10 PM CST
Name: Lyn
Weaverville, California (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Level 1
Hi Rick ...

The shredded leaves seem to be the best mulch for this garden. Topping them with a thin layer of small wood chips just keeps them from blowing around.

Everything else I have tried may feed the soil, but does not work sufficiently to keep the moisture in the soil.

We have all been asked to cut back our water usage by 20%. My approach is to water more than I usually do during this season and water less during the high temps. My goal is to bring the healthiest plant I can into the summer temps, so that they will need less water to survive.

I am not watering consistently on a schedule because nature doesn't water consistently ... Smiling and I think plants are programmed not to depend on consistent water unless that is part of their natural habitat. I haven't made that assumption on any scientific data, but I have seen plants seem to take a harder hit when regular watering in a garden was changed to less regular. The same plants in other gardens where they did not receive such consistent watering seemed to be able to survive better. So, this is just personal observation.

Tulare County has had water sent down from northern California regularly, but it seems like folks down south think there is an endless supply of water and that it is not a finite resource. Thus the water wars.

Rita ... mulching a garden does not create a fire hazard. When you use the "rule of four", two inches of mulch will only create 8" of flame. Generally, that is not a problem. It's the brush and tall grasses on properties further out of town that cause more of a fire risk. A two foot bush can create eight feet of flames which could take the fire up to the trees and any near by structures.

I do live in a wildfire area. Most of the fires are started by lightening. That's one of our biggest worries.

Smiles,
Lyn
I'd rather weed than dust ... the weeds stay gone longer.
Last edited by RoseBlush1 Jan 27, 2014 11:59 PM Icon for preview

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