The sun hits different round these parts. So here’s three things I added to my summer garden that changed the game for my plants!
-A 40 or even 30% shade cloth over tender veggies and herbs can really help filter enough harsh direct sun to help plants in the heat of the day.
I don’t suggest shade cloth for things like, corn, okra or flowers as it can reduce production.
-Mulching is something almost every gardener should be doing and the good news is, there so many mulch options that exist! From dead leaves, to EZ Straw (my favorite) you can protect your soil without breaking the bank and your plants will thank you for it!
-Slow deep watering systems like ollas or drip irrigation will help your plants through intense temperatures and drought! Tomatoes are slow drinkers so why waste water when you can plan out a good system now to save time and money while supporting healthy plants!
#gardentips #southerngardening #summergarden #growfood #growfoodnotlawns #texasgarden #zone8bgarden #gardeningtips #mulch #shadecloth
three things I’ve done this summer to help my garden Thrive and be productive in this crazy Texas heat I’ve got 40 shade cloth over almost all of the garden except for the peppers okra and corn and even in my shallow beds I’m mulching two to three inches deep along with my oils that help my more sensitive plants in between watering and then either using even the cheapest drip irrigation you can find on a regular schedule or hand watering on a regular schedule your plants remember when they get watered so it helps them thrive
24 Comments
Beautiful 😂❤😊!
I love the concept but how do you train yourself to remember all these things I can't do it I'm trying to try I've got a dddd from way back before there was prescriptions for it thank goodness but still it's kicks in all the time when it's time to do something it's like what was I supposed to do where was I supposed to go LOL I write it down forget where I wrote it down. just saying LOL
What are the dimensions of your shade cloth, and where did you purchase it? I'm North of Houston, so chances are there's a branch near me. 😉
Drip irrigation and mulching has been a major game changer for us. We live in Texas as well. It can get brutal in the summer
I had to do the same thing
Question: I know its weird and sounds gross, but I saw a video where a guy watered half of his crop with water and half with diluted pee. The stuff watered with pee grew noticably bigger. Can you put watered down pee in an olla? Or will it clog the pores and make it stop working?
What is the little drip system you have the gardennon???
I used 30% cloth last year in 9b and did great. Regular hand watering.
Edit: I did not mulch, I'll be trying mulch this year.
Yes, I had that same idea last year…😊❤
Can army surplus camouflage net work?
Where did you buy your shade cloth? I’m on the North side of H Town and don’t have a clue where to get it.
Thanks
You may be surprised to know that this is useful for me in Canada!! Hear the middle, in southern-ish Manitoba, our summers are as intense as our winters. We go from -40’s F to 100 F. We don’t have as many 100 days as u but we need to be prepared for the hot days because with such a short growing season (3-4 months for frost tender summer crops) we don’t have much time for replanting or recovering injured plants.
Well I'm not going to take any advice from you just for simply saying that your plants remember when you water them them. That just doesn't even make sense. Do plants remember when it rained last? What happens when it doesn't rain again for weeks? Lol however you should water your plants at the same time every day for your benefit, so you don't forget and it should be early in the morning, this is so you aren't watering them in the blistering heat and burning them. They'll retain the moisture in the ground for the rest of the day. And you're in Texas plants don't remember when you water them. They aren't expecting it at that same time the next day. Plants are amazing and alive but they don't remember. That's why some plants thrive in some areas where others don't. That's why cactuses hold on to water because they don't know when it's going to rain next. The plant didn't decide to do that itself That's the way it was created. If you're going to hand water something it definitely needs to be before the sun comes up and gets hot, If you must spray the entire plant otherwise it's always best just to water the ground around your plants and get a spray bottle for the plants that need a lot of moisture on their leaves. Just don't tell people that they remember when you water them because they do not.
Indoor plants are a little different depending on the type of plant it is. You should water your plants everyday if their plants to be watered every day and it is good to do it at the same time every day so you don't forget. If you have a crazy hectic life and you don't have a schedule you're going to always be wondering if you remembered to water the plants or not but if you have a routine of when you water your plants they'll be watered and you won't have to always be worrying about "crap I got to water my plants", "crap i forgot to water my plants"
Im on the North Side of Houston and cannot find straw for mulch. Where do you find that?
Smart
Can you share any more details on your diy olla?
I should've added shade cloth this year. It was brutal.
Could you pls dive into a video on the DIY Ollas? You went by that too fast for me. Looks like something I definitely should do here on the North end of Houston.
Shade cloth saved my garden last year !!! That stuff is amazing !!
I use straw for mulch. Its great and my strawberries thrived last year. I plan on using it in all my garden beds this year. I am in California but the summer gets over 110. I never thought of shade cloth. Thanks for the tip.
We'd love to collaborate with you in your gardening tasks. Come check out our heirloom garden tools at Forever Fulshear Farmer's Market this Saturday.
First thing I learned when it comes to gardening in texas. If it says full sun, and you don't have a way to provide constant even waterings, then it's not full sun, it's part shade.
How well does the shade cloth do with the winds lately? I’m in DFW and the wind has been pretty rowdy sometimes.
Where do you get the straw from ?