As we face the ever-growing impacts of climate change, our gardens are experiencing more frequent and severe weather fluctuations. These changes can be particularly challenging for home gardeners trying to maintain healthy and productive vegetable gardens. Whether you are dealing with periods of excess water or prolonged dry spells, there are effective strategies to ensure your garden thrives despite the changing climate. This article will provide practical tips on water preservation and maintaining your veggie garden through these climate extremes.

Understanding the Climate Crisis and Its Impact on Gardens

The climate crisis is leading to unpredictable weather patterns, including intense rainfall, extended droughts, and fluctuating temperatures. These changes can stress plants, reduce yields, and increase the vulnerability of gardens to pests and diseases. Understanding these challenges is the first step towards developing a resilient garden that can withstand the pressures of a changing climate.

Water Preservation Strategies

Water is a precious resource, and its conservation is crucial in combating the effects of climate change in your garden. Here are some effective water preservation techniques:

1. Rainwater Harvesting

Collecting and storing rainwater is an excellent way to ensure a consistent water supply for your garden. Install rain barrels or tanks to capture runoff from your roof. This stored water can be used during dry spells, reducing your reliance on municipal water supplies.

2. Drip Irrigation Systems

Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the plant roots, minimizing evaporation and runoff. This method is highly efficient, using up to 50% less water than traditional overhead sprinklers. By providing a steady and targeted water supply, drip irrigation helps keep plants healthy even during dry periods

3. Mulching

Mulching is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to conserve soil moisture. Apply a thick layer of organic mulch, such as straw, wood chips, or compost, around your plants. Mulch not only retains moisture but also suppresses weeds, regulates soil temperature, and improves soil structure.

4. Soil Improvement

Healthy soil retains water better and provides a stable environment for plant roots. Incorporate organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure into your soil to enhance its water-holding capacity. This also improves soil fertility and structure, promoting robust plant growth.

Keeping Your Veggie Garden Alive During Excess Water

Excessive rainfall and waterlogging can damage vegetable gardens by suffocating roots and promoting fungal diseases. Here’s how to manage your garden during periods of heavy rain:

1. Raised Beds

Raised beds improve drainage and prevent water from pooling around plant roots. Construct raised beds using wood, stone, or other materials, and fill them with a well-draining soil mix. This setup helps keep roots healthy and dry during periods of heavy rain.

2. Proper Plant Spacing

Plant your vegetables with adequate spacing to allow for air circulation and reduce the risk of fungal diseases. Good airflow around plants helps them dry out more quickly after rain, minimizing the likelihood of rot and mildew.

3. Efficient Drainage Systems

Ensure your garden has adequate drainage to prevent water from accumulating. Create slopes or install French drains to direct excess water away from your garden beds. Additionally, avoid planting in low-lying areas prone to waterlogging.

4. Use of Cover Crops

Cover crops like clover or rye can help absorb excess water and improve soil structure. These plants also add organic matter to the soil when tilled under, enhancing its water-holding capacity and fertility.

Maintaining Your Veggie Garden During Dry Spells

Prolonged dry spells can be equally challenging, leading to water stress and reduced yields. Here are some strategies to keep your vegetable garden thriving during drought conditions:

1. Drought-Tolerant Varieties

Choose vegetable varieties that are known for their drought tolerance. Varieties with deep root systems, such as tomatoes and peppers, can access moisture from deeper soil layers. Research and select seeds that are specifically bred to withstand dry conditions.

2. Efficient Watering Techniques

Water your garden early in the morning or late in the evening to minimize evaporation. Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to deliver water directly to the root zone. Water deeply but infrequently, encouraging plants to develop deep root systems that can access moisture from deeper soil layers.

3. Shading and Windbreaks

Protect your garden from excessive sun and wind, which can increase evaporation and water stress. Use shade cloths, row covers, or strategically placed taller plants to provide shade and reduce wind exposure. This helps maintain soil moisture and keeps plants cooler.

4. Regular Mulching

Continue to mulch your garden heavily during dry periods. Mulch acts as a barrier, reducing soil evaporation and keeping the root zone cooler. Organic mulches also break down over time, adding nutrients to the soil and improving its water retention capabilities.

Conclusion

Adapting your gardening practices to the changing climate is essential for maintaining a productive and resilient vegetable garden. By implementing water preservation strategies and adjusting your techniques to manage excess water and dry spells, you can ensure your garden thrives despite the challenges posed by climate change. Embrace these methods to create a sustainable and flourishing garden that not only provides fresh produce but also contributes to the overall health of our environment.

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Over the years I have learned many ways of composting, from in situ composting which involves both burying organic material directly into the garden or simply placing compost bins in the locations where I want the compost to end up, to buried worm towers and of course the original bays tucked away in the least attractive part of my property.

This last one has become my least favorite of all the ways I now compost. It involves a lot of unnecessary labor and disturbs the compost far more than necessary. I would have to say these days, that in situ composting with a bin is the most efficient for our environment. However, I do have the luxury of large spaces so can allow for an oversized compost bin in a vegetable garden for several months at a time. But I have friends who live in smaller spaces and use a small upturned pail with the base cut out and the lid used where the base used to be. This is really effective and takes far less time to break down.

I know for a lot of folks, composting is simply an ugly necessity; it’s not as pretty as the rose bushes, nor as striking as the ever-turning sunflowers. Yet, this humble compost pile is a treasure trove, a testament to the cycle of life and the magic of turning what many consider waste into garden gold. I have fallen in love with composting, to create soil from food scraps, animal waste and garden cuttings is a miraculous process and one I will never tire of.

I rotate my faithful compost bins around my raised garden beds every few months and the benefits are amazing. Firstly, I need to keep in mind, that over time, the soil collapses and the levels of my garden beds drop so this is a great way to boost not only the quality of soil but the depth as well. I always make sure to not plant anything in my raised beds that are permanent to avoid them eventually getting buried of course.

While some dream of constant travel and adventures new, my heart has always been tethered to this piece of land in South East Queensland, dreaming instead of a sustainable, self-sufficient life. At the risk of sounding a little dramatic, to me, the compost pile is a cornerstone of my dream of living on my land and providing for me and my loved ones from this land, composting embodies the principles of recycling, renewing, and respecting the earth.

Creating compost is like crafting a rich, slow-cooked stew. Into it goes kitchen scraps, lawn clippings, leaves, and even paper – a mix of greens and browns, nitrogen and carbon. And animal poop. From cow to pig and chicken poop it is all gold to my compost systems. Did you know pig poo is supposed to be the richest and most effective manure below pigeon poop! Well now you do!!

With time, and a bit of patience, these scraps transform. What was once waste becomes dark, crumbly, and sweet-smelling, packed full of nutrients ready to nourish our garden.

This transformation is an honest to God marvel, a daily reminder of nature’s resilience and resourcefulness. It teaches patience and care, the importance of balance and diversity. As I layer the scraps and keep adding to it, I’m participating in an ancient cycle of growth, decay, and rebirth.

In our subtropical climate, the compost works a bit faster, the warmth accelerating the breakdown. It’s a boon for our garden, allowing us to continually enrich the soil, boosting the vitality of our plants and the abundance of our harvests. Our compost pile is a constant source of life, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.

The lessons of the compost pile extend beyond the garden. It teaches us to see potential in the overlooked, to understand the value of what we might otherwise discard. It’s a practice of mindfulness, a commitment to a lifestyle that seeks harmony with the earth rather than dominance over it.

So, as I tend to our compost, I am reminded of the beauty of our chosen path. While the thrill of a nomadic life appeals to many, the joy I find in nurturing this land, in turning waste into wonder, is a journey of its own, rich and fulfilling.

Until next time,

Lucy

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Just ask anyone who lives in a region with these bizarre birds and they will have a story to share about a whole garden bed being relocated in one afternoon for a nest mound. They are remarkable but very focused and will destroy your veggie gardens before you can blink! If you look at any of the areas we have cultivated up here, there are netting, fencing, and other precautions.

I went to our local gardening on the edge tour with some friends to see several beautiful local gardens to experience what they were doing and was fortunate enough to see a tunnel built by a local to protect some of his veggie gardens near his house, I came home so inspired we got to it and built one of our own.

Since then I’ve had so many people ask how I built it, that I thought I’d share a  step-by-step guide on how to build one using garden stakes, agi pipe for arches, and netting.

1. Planning and Measurement

Measure the Area: Measure the area where you want to build the tunnel. It should be 10 meters in length to match the netting size.

– Mark the Layout: Mark the ground along the length where the garden stakes will go.

 2. Installing the Garden Stakes

Drive Stakes: Hammer the garden stakes into the ground along the marked lines. Ensure they are evenly spaced and firmly in the ground. The distance between the stakes will depend on the width of your tunnel.

3. Creating the Arches

Cut Agi Pipe: Cut the agi pipe into lengths that will form arches from one garden stake to the opposite stake.

Attach Agi Pipe: Slide one end of the agi pipe over a garden stake, bend it into an arch, and slide the other end over the opposite stake. Repeat this for each set of stakes.

4. Covering with Netting

Drape Netting: Unroll the 10×10 meter netting and drape it over the agi pipe arches. Make sure it covers the entire structure.

Secure Netting: Attach the netting to the garden stakes and agi pipes using cable ties or garden wire. Ensure it’s tight and secure.

 5. Anchoring the Netting

Position Bricks: I just placed bricks or heavy stones around the sides of the netting on the ground. This will anchor the netting and prevent it from lifting in the wind. I like to use bricks instead of tent pegs or other anchors that require piercing the netting. Up here we get strong wind and it wouldn’t take much for the netting to tear. I have also placed cardboard between the brick and the netting if the brick is especially rough.

6. Access door

Create Access door: I have one end closest to the house which is the area I will always access from. I create a door by gathering the netting up and carefully tying it to the agi pipe arch. This forms a tent door which I peg together for quick and easy access. The person I got the tunnel idea from has created a beautiful door out of branches with a door frame. (see image above) I’m just not that handy, so the tent door works just fine for me.

7. Maintenance

Regular Checks: Regularly check the stability of the tunnel and the condition of the netting. Repair or tighten as needed. Just a heads up here, no matter what you do, you will get tears in your netting, I always have a needle and thread handy to stitch it up. Easy to fix and keeps it from turning into a major job once there are lots of holes.

8. Planting

Plant your Garden: Now that your tunnel is ready, you can start planting your vegetables inside. I have 3 raised beds inside my tunnel. I use this location primarily for greens like lettuce, silver beet, kale, etc. It’s a bit harder to grow veggies in a tunnel that relies on bees or other insects for pollination. Mind you, I have managed to hand-pollinate self-seeded cucumbers, zucchini, and pumpkin in my tunnel. But you will need to be prepared to hand pollinate if you need to/want to grow certain plants in there.

Tips

Choose the Right Location: Ensure the tunnel is in a spot that gets adequate sunlight and is protected from strong winds. Not always an easy task, we live on an exposed hill so wind is a given up here, but we allow for it. The beauty of the netting is the wind goes straight through.

Add shade cloth: Our tunnel is in an area where we have full sun until 4 pm in summer so I have a length of shade cloth I can drag over the structure on the hottest days. Luckily up here we rarely see days hot enough to do damage but we get the occasional run of 30-degree days that will burn young lettuces or spinach. I tie the shade cloth in place with tie wire and remove it when the temperatures again.

By following these steps, you’ll have a functional and durable veggie garden tunnel that not only protects your plants but also adds a unique element to your garden. I love this structure because not only is it functional, but it’s easily disassembled if needed.

Until next time

Lucy

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Since I was a girl, I’ve dreamt of a life where the distance between the earth and my table was no more than a short walk through the garden. In fact when I was young, it was quite a common thing. Food miles weren’t even considered as most of our food was grown locally. Now, surrounded by a community of fellow dreamers and doers, that life is as real as the herbs and vegetables that thrive in our abundant climate.

Here in the subtropics, our gardening calendar is blessed with a variety of seasons, each offering its unique gifts.

The summers are lush and demanding, with storms that light up the sky (and terrify the Kelpie) and days so warm and humid it feels like we are working in a sauna.

But the reward is the explosion of taste and color; picking tomatoes that burst with flavor, cucumbers crisp and cool, and an array of greens that keep our salads interesting and nutritious.

And let’s not forget the winters, milder here, allowing us to grow through what would be a dormant season elsewhere. The joy of plucking a fresh lemon or harvesting root vegetables to roast is a luxury our climate affords us.

It’s always a gift to go to the garden to harvest the ingredients for a shared feast with family or friends using the Trug bought for me for my birthday by a thoughtful friend last year.

But beyond the feasts, it’s the journey we cherish.

The patience and care it takes to nurture each seed into a plant. The shared wisdom and occasional commiseration over a lost crop. The wonder of watching my granddaughter eat a tomato, still warm from the sun, for the first time.

Living here, in this fertile corner of the world, makes me ever so grateful for the land, the climate, and the community. We are more than gardeners; we are stewards of the abundant, beautiful earth.

It’s always a gift to go to the garden to harvest the ingredients for a shared feast with family or friends.

So, to my fellow cultivators, whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or a curious newcomer, let’s continue this journey from seed to feast. Together, we’re not just growing food; we’re growing a way of life.

Until next time,

Lucy

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