AS I WRITE THIS, we're facing serious fertilizer shortages, according to many and various news outlets. Because of the war in Ukraine, a large portion of the world's exported fertilizer seems to be stuck in Russia and Belarus. Even before the invasion, China had announced restrictions on exports of phosphate- and urea-based fertilizers. And all this is on top of compromised supply chains resulting from years of pandemic.
Every time I read another article about how gardeners and farmers will be made miserable by these fertilizer shortages, I'm reminded of a challenge I faced two years ago in one of the gardens where I work. A big part of my job as a horticultural therapist at a residential mental-health rehabilitation center is to design, install and maintain therapeutic gardens for the benefit of clients and staff. Two dry summers ago, the sprinkler system in one of the therapeutic gardens failed while the facilities manager was out on medical leave.
I had to figure out a way to get water to the plants in that garden. After allowing myself some handwringing, I began to think about how indigenous people in the southwestern United States had grown food for millennia despite very little rainfall and very dry summers. A little research turned up so much native intelligence on the topic that I found myself with the happy problem of choosing which techniques to try.
I ended up using a three-pronged approach:
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September - October 2022-Ausgabe von Horticulture.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September - October 2022-Ausgabe von Horticulture.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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RIBWORT PLANTAIN
Before you call it a weed, consider its many talents
JARED BARNES - Propagating gardeners
JARED BARNES is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He also hosts The Plantastic Podcast and publishes a weekly e-newsletter called plant ed, both of which can be found at his website, https://www.meristemhorticulture.com. At home, he gardens with wife Karen and daughter Magnolia.
FILMS WITH FLOWERS
Relax with an uplifting garden-themed movie
TOTAL TOMATO GROWING GUIDE
Niki Jabbour's advice for making the most of this grow-at-home favorite
HANGDOG NO MORE
I'M A CURIOUS and impetuous guy. Good at thinking but terrible at remembering. And dammit if I'm not impatient.
LOOKING AHEAD
A colorful, fruitful summer follows winter's well-used days
NEW PLANTS
Pollinator Favorites
PLANTS from PIECES
ALL ABOUT PROPAGATION BY STEM, LEAF & ROOT CUTTINGS
FULL SUN FOLIAGE
IT'S A BIT MORE CHALLENGING THAN IN THE SHADE, BUT WE CAN FIND DELIGHTFUL LEAVES TO EMBELLISH SUNNY SPACES
CHANGE OF PLANS
HOW TO PLAN A GARDEN RENOVATION THAT WORKS WITH THE SITE AND ITS ECOLOGY