Gardeners in the Midwest have always known that when it comes to weather, you should expect the unexpected. But as climate change accelerates, we face new challenges and must be increasingly resourceful and diligent in finding ways to adapt.
Fortunately, most basic climate change adaptation techniques are just basic gardening practices. Climate change means that we all have to be more diligent in following it if we want to continue to have attractive and healthy landscapes.
Climate change is marked by an increase in temperature in general (not just every month or every year) with highly variable precipitation, and extreme weather events – such as derechos – are becoming more frequent. This means focusing on the most resistant plants, building soil health, and minimizing the many pests and diseases that develop in extreme weather conditions.
Here’s how, with a nod to sustainable gardening practices that also help the planet in a bigger way.
This multibin compost pile in a Cedar Rapids backyard since 1998 turns kitchen scraps and yard waste into rich soil. While nourishing your gardens, soils rich in organic matter also have the ability to retain water better during dry times and drain more quickly during heavy storms. (Newspaper)
Earth Health
Resilient gardens start from the ground up. Continue to build quality soil by adding plenty of organic matter.
Compost is perhaps the ideal organic matter. Spread on the surface of beds and lawns or dig in any planting hole.
You can buy compost in bulk or in bags, but if you don’t already have a compost pile, start one. (I have three!) You can also work in other organic matter, such as broken leaves.
In the garden, consider planting cover crops, which add nutrients and organic matter. Or work in plenty of well-rotted autumn leaves.
Unlike simple synthetic fertilizer, organic matter changes the structure of the soil and attracts beneficial earthworms, which aerate and fertilize the soil. Organic matter also promotes a healthy microbial structure.
Soils rich in organic matter also have the ability to retain water better during dry periods and drain more quickly during heavy rains.
Plant selection
Now is the time to stop fussing with plants that limp long and need a lot of water and fertilizer. Hybrid tea roses and struggling patches of lawn, I’m looking at you.
Replace those hybrid tea roses with any of the new low maintenance roses, which are even more pest resistant. And if the lawn is in trouble, consider one of the beautiful ground covers that are readily available. You will always need to keep them weeded, but they are less affected by drought and wet, conditions that induce fungus.
When it comes to trees, shrubs and perennials, native plants, or their hybrid cousins are always a good bet for sun and shade. They naturally withstand the extremes of Iowa’s weather and the pests and diseases that result from them. Bonus: Help our struggling pollinator and bird populations.
Some people don’t like native plants because they think they look messy and unkempt, but hybrids have a more manicured look.
For inspiration, check out the Iowa State University Horticulture Extension’s many online native plant lists.
Much
When there is heavy rain, the mulch prevents soil erosion and keeps the moisture longer, so it has the chance to sink deeper into the soil. In times of drought, conserve moisture around the plants. Keeps plants healthier by preventing soil and soil pathogens from splashing onto plants. Preventing weeds – which also tend to thrive during extremes of weather and which rob the plants of desired moisture and nutrients – saves work.
Using a rain gauge, like this one at home, can help you use water more efficiently in the garden. (Newspaper)
Smart irrigation
Most Iowa landscape plants, including lawns, do best with about 1 inch of water per week. For decades, most Iowa springs, summers and falls have provided just that. But that has changed. Knowledge is power so monitor and apply water carefully.
If you don’t already have a rain gauge, get one. It will tell you exactly how much moisture you are getting and give you a good idea of how much more you need to apply.
If you are using a sprinkler, make a small dish to accurately measure the amount of water you apply to an area.
And always water in the early morning or late evening to prevent evaporation from sprinklers of up to 50 percent. Buy a timer that screws into your outdoor faucet so you can turn on the sprinklers even at 4 am.
More and more, we see the impact of climate change on our landscapes and our lives. It is projected to continue to become more severe, so little changes now can pay big dividends for years to come.
Veronica Lorson Fowler, co-editor of the Iowa Gardener website.
Veronica Lorson Fowler is co-editor of the Iowa Gardener website at www.theiowagardener.com.
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