Re: [gardeners] Bastrop county gardening
Allen Merten (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 13 Mar 2000 23:37:50 -0600
Hi All,
I think I set a new worlds record today. While working in the corner of
the garden I call Nut Grass Heaven, I dug and dug until I found the nutlet,
a depth of 29 inches! I'm glad that I was working in sand!
Tuesday will probably be a wash out for gardening. We have a 90 % chance
of rain, up to two inches are predicted.
The Feds have declared 147 of 254 Texas counties to be drought disaster
areas. We have had 3 years of drought out of the last 4 years. Some of the
big lakes are as much as 30 feet low. Some of the smaller ones are just dust
bowls.
Many gardeners around here are trying to come up with innovative ideas
to use the same water for more than one use. We set up a separate "septic
tank" system for the kitchen sink and and dishwasher. The tank is treated
with the same bacteria that goes into conventional septic systems. The field
line, buried 21" deep, 12 " of gravel below, 6" above, runs above the
garden. I have been keeping close watch on the moisture content of the
garden soil and for odor. The soil is moist 3 inches below the surface down
to the clay, about 3-1/2 feet deep. The garden is 55' x 125'. No odor,
uniformly moist, not wet. I think this will be a big help with keeping the
soil moist in the coming hot weather. The temperatures haven't reached 100*
yet, but they have been as high as 91*. Rain has been sparse already.
I have been planting almost flat instead of the usual 8-10 inch high
rows. I'm making the rows about 4 inches higher than the middles. I think
that will still let air into the rows.
Any comments anyone?
Allen
Bastrop Co., SE Central Tx.
Zone 8