In the heat of the summer, when all my Facebook gardening friends are sending photos of wilted cucumber and dried-up lettuce, we had one star in the Carlsbad Senior Garden that never died!
One of my senior garden students, Jeanette Feiffer, started her Sugar Baby watermelon seeds at home, and planted them in our 20-foot raised bed. After a few tries, six of the eight seedlings flourished. These small plants withstood the frequent attacks of the local squirrel, the roly-polys and the even the crows. Just when we thought we were out of the dark and into the light, the heat wave struck.
Now even the local gardeners, who had been growing vegetables for 10 and 20 years, said that they had never seen the North County area hit with such an extended rise in temperatures. So, our plan was to water as deeply as possible for 25 minutes early in the morning.
Our dutiful supervisor, Andi Kohler, purchased a new drip hose made out of a sturdy fabric that lies flat in the bed and provides a steady drip reaching 3 inches into the soil.
After a full month of 80- to 90-degree heat, using the drip method, our watermelons are flourishing and have almost overgrown the bed. Twice a week we also water by hand, but the drip does most of the work.
Our only explanation could be that our long and low drip system worked, and we are now harvesting our first melons!
Steps for heat wave protection
These great tips are from the San Diego Seed Company website featuring Brijette Peña and husband Richard, in which they give gardeners advice about how to save plants from destruction! San Diego Seed Company’s mission is “to produce dependable organic, regionally adapted seeds for gardeners, farmers, and market growers.”
San Diego Seed Company produces thousands of seed products, and also offer workshops, videos and on-site farm visits for the beginning and advanced gardener. For information about upcoming classes, click here.
Here are Brijette’s tips for watering in a heat wave:
STEP ONE
The day before the heat wave we will water the whole vegetable garden with the hose, on a very slow drip. We do have an automatic drip system, but hand watering in the heat is essential. The reason we are pre-watering is that what is going to kill your plants is not the excessive heat, but lack of moisture. When the temperature gets so high, the water evaporates and sucks the life out of the plants. They simply die from dehydration.
STEP TWO – MULCH
We use wood chips on our farm, and the chips give an “organic lid,” for the vegetables. After applying mulch, we hand water again, with a mist or shower spray which re-hydrates the soil.
STEP THREE – SHADE CLOTH
At the farm we use a mesh shade cloth on 3-foot poles, but any porous cloth will do. You can use burlap or and airy fabric, just don’t use a heavy sheet!
STEP FOUR – CHECK IRRIGATION
Although we have gone into detail for hand watering, don’t forget to check your drip irrigation, which should be set for at least 30 minutes. The hose often becomes moved during the watering process, or if dirt is covering the small holes, your drip will slow down or stop.
Thanks for Brijette and Richard Peña for their heat wave gardening tips.
Jano Nightingale is a Master Gardener who teaches vegetable gardening at the Carlsbad Senior Center community garden. Call 442-339-2650 to register for her class. Contact Jano at [email protected] for upcoming classes or consultations.
