Sabtu, 05 Oktober 2013

Different Soil Type: A Classification of The Garden Soil

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- Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about , i was write this article for sharing Article factors for gardening, Article soil, Article soil types, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Different Soil Type: A Classification of The Garden Soil
link : Different Soil Type: A Classification of The Garden Soil

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Today I will discuss about the soil and its types. To be more specific, by soil I particularly mean topsoil. Soil is the main food source for plants in the garden. So it is better for a gardener to know more about this important factor of gardening. Many of the plants die in the garden due to the lack of proper soil. Every plant have their own preference for Garden soil. By knowing the types and their properties we can definitely increase the chance of plant survival.

Classification of The Garden Soil:


Depending on the presence of 3 different particles (sand, silt and clay), the garden soil are classified into 4 basic types. They are sandy, silty, clay, Loamy.

Garden soil types

Sandy soil:

To start with, sandy soil  has mostly the largest sized particles in them. The particle size is over 1/20 mm in diameter. Upon touching you will feel it as much more dry and gritty with compared to other soil. This type of soil is very light in weight and can warm up very quickly in the spring. Due to its large particle size they do not pack as closely like other type of soil and thus has a very good aeration and good drainage capacity.





The downside of the story is it drains very quickly, the plants get very less time to absorb the nutrients with generally drains off with the water. You can improve the water retention capacity of the sandy soil by adding organic compost , peat moss etc, these will help to retain the nutrient as well as moisture.

Silty soil:

Silty soil has much smaller particles compared to sandy soil. If you touch the soil with your finger it will give you much smoother feeling compared to the sandy soil. It is a intermediate between sandy and clay type of soil. It retains water longer than sandy type. The drainage and aeration is far less than the sandy type. Due to its water retention, this type of soil doesn’t warms up so easily.

Clay soil:

It contains mostly the particle which is sized less than 1/200 mm in diameter. If you touch clay type soil in wet condition you will feel the stickiness in the soil. Here the particles are packed very closely leaving very little space for aeration and drainage. It can hold more water than any other type of soil. As it has a tighter grip on the drainage it can hold on to the nutrients. It is very rich in plant food for growth.

This type of soil warms up very slowly in the springs. It can become very hard once it gets dry. So it can be a problem working with this type of soil specially in the time of summers. If properly managed this soil type can be the best for plant growth.

Loamy Soil:

It is a mixture of sandy, silty and clay type of soil. Generally most of the gardening is done in this type of soil. If put mixed with proper organic matter this type of soil is easy to maintain and required very little add-on.


Having said all that these soil types are not permanent in nature and you can definitely alter the nature of the soil. So don’t be disheartened if your near by soil is not suitable for the type of crop you are thinking about growing. Here is a list of materials which you can add to your soil and change its aeration or water retention capacity.



That’s all for today. Will come with some other interesting topic in the next article. If you are a first time visitor to the site you can check our archive section for more gardening related articles.


Today I will discuss about the soil and its types. To be more specific, by soil I particularly mean topsoil. Soil is the main food source for plants in the garden. So it is better for a gardener to know more about this important factor of gardening. Many of the plants die in the garden due to the lack of proper soil. Every plant have their own preference for Garden soil. By knowing the types and their properties we can definitely increase the chance of plant survival.

Classification of The Garden Soil:


Depending on the presence of 3 different particles (sand, silt and clay), the garden soil are classified into 4 basic types. They are sandy, silty, clay, Loamy.

Garden soil types

Sandy soil:

To start with, sandy soil  has mostly the largest sized particles in them. The particle size is over 1/20 mm in diameter. Upon touching you will feel it as much more dry and gritty with compared to other soil. This type of soil is very light in weight and can warm up very quickly in the spring. Due to its large particle size they do not pack as closely like other type of soil and thus has a very good aeration and good drainage capacity.





The downside of the story is it drains very quickly, the plants get very less time to absorb the nutrients with generally drains off with the water. You can improve the water retention capacity of the sandy soil by adding organic compost , peat moss etc, these will help to retain the nutrient as well as moisture.

Silty soil:

Silty soil has much smaller particles compared to sandy soil. If you touch the soil with your finger it will give you much smoother feeling compared to the sandy soil. It is a intermediate between sandy and clay type of soil. It retains water longer than sandy type. The drainage and aeration is far less than the sandy type. Due to its water retention, this type of soil doesn’t warms up so easily.

Clay soil:

It contains mostly the particle which is sized less than 1/200 mm in diameter. If you touch clay type soil in wet condition you will feel the stickiness in the soil. Here the particles are packed very closely leaving very little space for aeration and drainage. It can hold more water than any other type of soil. As it has a tighter grip on the drainage it can hold on to the nutrients. It is very rich in plant food for growth.

This type of soil warms up very slowly in the springs. It can become very hard once it gets dry. So it can be a problem working with this type of soil specially in the time of summers. If properly managed this soil type can be the best for plant growth.

Loamy Soil:

It is a mixture of sandy, silty and clay type of soil. Generally most of the gardening is done in this type of soil. If put mixed with proper organic matter this type of soil is easy to maintain and required very little add-on.


Having said all that these soil types are not permanent in nature and you can definitely alter the nature of the soil. So don’t be disheartened if your near by soil is not suitable for the type of crop you are thinking about growing. Here is a list of materials which you can add to your soil and change its aeration or water retention capacity.



That’s all for today. Will come with some other interesting topic in the next article. If you are a first time visitor to the site you can check our archive section for more gardening related articles.

Senin, 30 September 2013

Soil pH: A basic Idea

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- Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about , i was write this article for sharing Article factors of gardening, Article jargons, Article pH, Article soil, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Soil pH: A basic Idea
link : Soil pH: A basic Idea

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In some of my earlier articles I have mentioned about pH and the ideal pH for a particular plant. But many starters are not aware of this technicality. So I decided to demystify the jargon in this article.

Soil pH is the measure of how acidic or how alkaline your soil is. It is actually to measure the concentration Hydrogen ions in the solution. It is measured in a scale of 0 to 14. Where 0 being the most acidic and 14 is the most alkaline and 7 stands for neutral. To give you an example lemon juice can be of the range of 2 to 3 signifies very acidic where as baking soda can be of a pH of 8 to 9 which means it is very alkaline. The fresh clean drinking water is of pH 7.

This pH is calculated on the logarithm scale so a difference between one point is equal to 10 times acidity. i.e, the pH of 6 is 10 times more acidic than pH 7 and 10 times less acidic than pH 5.

Now you must be wandering about why pH is so important to your plant? Lets see why. The pH of the soil has a very big role in plant growth and its survival. Though it is not a nutrient, it controls the availability of the nutrients to the plant. So it does not matter how much nutrient you put into the soil, if it can not get absorbed by the plant it is of no use. For example a soil pH of 6 or more can inhibit the absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium etc. where as a soil pH of 7.5 or more can reduce the amount of Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese. A soil pH of less than 4 can be full of toxic amount of Aluminum or Manganese.

Now the good news. The soil pH is not fixed. You can change it to your plant’s liking. The soil pH is dependent on your local climate. You can get the idea by looking at the plants in your locality. Generally it is found that in high rainfall areas the soil pH is acidic. Plant like blueberries flourish in these areas. Where as typically low rain fall areas in the world is generally contains alkaline soil. Plants like olive or pomegranate do well in those areas.

It is best to test your soil pH before you start planting. You can get the required instruments in your local garden shops. You can also contact any professional to do it for you.

If your soil is too acidic and you want to reduce the acidity and increase the pH, agricultural lime or dolomite can be a good option to be added with the soil. Generally agricultural lime is cheaper than dolomite. In case your soil is deprived of magnesium then add dolomite otherwise lime would be fine.

In case your soil is far more alkaline and you want to decrease the pH, add peat moss or compost. Adding these organic material can definitely beneficial than adding ammonium sulfate or other inorganic sulfates.



I hope this clears the doubts surrounding the pH and its effect. Do post your comments.


In some of my earlier articles I have mentioned about pH and the ideal pH for a particular plant. But many starters are not aware of this technicality. So I decided to demystify the jargon in this article.

Soil pH is the measure of how acidic or how alkaline your soil is. It is actually to measure the concentration Hydrogen ions in the solution. It is measured in a scale of 0 to 14. Where 0 being the most acidic and 14 is the most alkaline and 7 stands for neutral. To give you an example lemon juice can be of the range of 2 to 3 signifies very acidic where as baking soda can be of a pH of 8 to 9 which means it is very alkaline. The fresh clean drinking water is of pH 7.

This pH is calculated on the logarithm scale so a difference between one point is equal to 10 times acidity. i.e, the pH of 6 is 10 times more acidic than pH 7 and 10 times less acidic than pH 5.

Now you must be wandering about why pH is so important to your plant? Lets see why. The pH of the soil has a very big role in plant growth and its survival. Though it is not a nutrient, it controls the availability of the nutrients to the plant. So it does not matter how much nutrient you put into the soil, if it can not get absorbed by the plant it is of no use. For example a soil pH of 6 or more can inhibit the absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium etc. where as a soil pH of 7.5 or more can reduce the amount of Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese. A soil pH of less than 4 can be full of toxic amount of Aluminum or Manganese.

Now the good news. The soil pH is not fixed. You can change it to your plant’s liking. The soil pH is dependent on your local climate. You can get the idea by looking at the plants in your locality. Generally it is found that in high rainfall areas the soil pH is acidic. Plant like blueberries flourish in these areas. Where as typically low rain fall areas in the world is generally contains alkaline soil. Plants like olive or pomegranate do well in those areas.

It is best to test your soil pH before you start planting. You can get the required instruments in your local garden shops. You can also contact any professional to do it for you.

If your soil is too acidic and you want to reduce the acidity and increase the pH, agricultural lime or dolomite can be a good option to be added with the soil. Generally agricultural lime is cheaper than dolomite. In case your soil is deprived of magnesium then add dolomite otherwise lime would be fine.

In case your soil is far more alkaline and you want to decrease the pH, add peat moss or compost. Adding these organic material can definitely beneficial than adding ammonium sulfate or other inorganic sulfates.



I hope this clears the doubts surrounding the pH and its effect. Do post your comments.

Kamis, 26 September 2013

Neem Cake: The Best Organic Fertilizer | Your Soil Fertility Doesn't Have To Be Hard

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- Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about , i was write this article for sharing Article fertilizer, Article neem, Article organic, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Neem Cake: The Best Organic Fertilizer | Your Soil Fertility Doesn't Have To Be Hard
link : Neem Cake: The Best Organic Fertilizer | Your Soil Fertility Doesn't Have To Be Hard

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Use of neem cakes as organic fertilizer is a very well known practice worldwide and especially in India. You can increase soil fertility by adding neem cakes to the soil.



I have discussed about compost in my earlier article. Now its time to put some light on Neem.


Scientific Name of Neem : Azadirachta indica

Common Name : Nim, Neem, Limba, and Nimba etc.



Neem is a tree with stout and rather short stem. It can grow up to 12-15 meter. Neem seeds are collected from the tree and from there oil is extracted. De-oiled neem cakes are used in fertilization of the soil.
There are several uses of neem. It is used as a base for preparing various consumer and industrial products. It is used as a repellent for pests. Unlike chemical pesticides neem works on the hormonal system of any insect rather than working on nervous or digestive system and hence it does not lead to resistance. In India the neem plant is considered to be an air purifier and so planted in the backyard or beside the house. But in this article I will discuss only the effect it has as a fertilizer.
neem cake

Neem Cake As Organic Fertilizer:

Since very early in India neem are being used as a natural fertilizers. It had become very popular due to its dual impact of soil enhancer as well as pest repellent. Neem cakes as well as neem leaves are used to fertilize the soil. The followings are the nutrient content of neem seed cake:

Nutrients Percentage and Neem Cake Composition

 (N)
 Nitrogen
 (2.0% to 5.0%)
 (P)
 Phosphorus
 (0.5% to 1.0%)
 (K)
 Potassium
 (1.0% to 2.0%)
 (Ca)
 Calcium
 (0.5% to 3.0%)
 (Zn)
 Zinc
 (15 ppm to 60 ppm)
 (Cu)
 Copper
 (4 ppm to 20 ppm)
 (S)
 Sulphur
 (0.2% to 3.0%)
 (Mg)
 Magnesium
 (0.3% to 1.0%)
 (Fe)
 Iron
 (500 ppm to 1200 ppm)
 (Mn)
 Manganese
 (20 ppm to 60 ppm)

 

Neem and Soil pH: 

 Read More About Soil pH  


Neem can be a great product if you are considering decreasing your soil pH. It can reduce the alkalinity of the soil as it get mixed with the soil and produce organic acids. In India it is extensively used in cash crops like turmeric, sugarcane, banana etc. Neem Cakes are a good alternative for chemical fertilizers in growing flowers and vegetables.


Neem cakes improves the appearances of fruits and vegetables. It also strengthens roots, and grow the foliage. It works very well when mixed with compost or other organic fertilizers. Applying neem with nitrogenous fertilizers can slow down the conversion process of nitrogenous compounds in ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and so improves efficiency of the soil.
neem cakes

Neem cakes are though enriched with different nutrients (NPK and micro nutrients) and produced better yield than urea it is very cost effective. The NPK is 100% natural and it is also accompanied by several micro nutrients(as stated above). They are very well compatible with the microbes present in the soil and improves its fertility. Beneficial animals like earth worm really seems to like the neem.



Hope this article gave you some insights about this great Indian plant and its uses as a soil enhancer. More on neem and its uses in future articles. Post your feedback.


Use of neem cakes as organic fertilizer is a very well known practice worldwide and especially in India. You can increase soil fertility by adding neem cakes to the soil.



I have discussed about compost in my earlier article. Now its time to put some light on Neem.


Scientific Name of Neem : Azadirachta indica

Common Name : Nim, Neem, Limba, and Nimba etc.



Neem is a tree with stout and rather short stem. It can grow up to 12-15 meter. Neem seeds are collected from the tree and from there oil is extracted. De-oiled neem cakes are used in fertilization of the soil.
There are several uses of neem. It is used as a base for preparing various consumer and industrial products. It is used as a repellent for pests. Unlike chemical pesticides neem works on the hormonal system of any insect rather than working on nervous or digestive system and hence it does not lead to resistance. In India the neem plant is considered to be an air purifier and so planted in the backyard or beside the house. But in this article I will discuss only the effect it has as a fertilizer.
neem cake

Neem Cake As Organic Fertilizer:

Since very early in India neem are being used as a natural fertilizers. It had become very popular due to its dual impact of soil enhancer as well as pest repellent. Neem cakes as well as neem leaves are used to fertilize the soil. The followings are the nutrient content of neem seed cake:

Nutrients Percentage and Neem Cake Composition

 (N)
 Nitrogen
 (2.0% to 5.0%)
 (P)
 Phosphorus
 (0.5% to 1.0%)
 (K)
 Potassium
 (1.0% to 2.0%)
 (Ca)
 Calcium
 (0.5% to 3.0%)
 (Zn)
 Zinc
 (15 ppm to 60 ppm)
 (Cu)
 Copper
 (4 ppm to 20 ppm)
 (S)
 Sulphur
 (0.2% to 3.0%)
 (Mg)
 Magnesium
 (0.3% to 1.0%)
 (Fe)
 Iron
 (500 ppm to 1200 ppm)
 (Mn)
 Manganese
 (20 ppm to 60 ppm)

 

Neem and Soil pH: 

 Read More About Soil pH  


Neem can be a great product if you are considering decreasing your soil pH. It can reduce the alkalinity of the soil as it get mixed with the soil and produce organic acids. In India it is extensively used in cash crops like turmeric, sugarcane, banana etc. Neem Cakes are a good alternative for chemical fertilizers in growing flowers and vegetables.


Neem cakes improves the appearances of fruits and vegetables. It also strengthens roots, and grow the foliage. It works very well when mixed with compost or other organic fertilizers. Applying neem with nitrogenous fertilizers can slow down the conversion process of nitrogenous compounds in ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and so improves efficiency of the soil.
neem cakes

Neem cakes are though enriched with different nutrients (NPK and micro nutrients) and produced better yield than urea it is very cost effective. The NPK is 100% natural and it is also accompanied by several micro nutrients(as stated above). They are very well compatible with the microbes present in the soil and improves its fertility. Beneficial animals like earth worm really seems to like the neem.



Hope this article gave you some insights about this great Indian plant and its uses as a soil enhancer. More on neem and its uses in future articles. Post your feedback.

Senin, 23 September 2013

Peas: A growing guide

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- Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about , i was write this article for sharing Article easy to grow, Article growing foods, Article peas, Article vegetables, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Peas: A growing guide
link : Peas: A growing guide

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Peas are cool climate plant. It prefers sandy loam soil with a great drainage facility. With a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5 is generally idea for peas. In case your soil is much more acidic than this add dolomite or lime with the soil to bring it to this optimum level.


Plant different varieties all at once and don’t make an attempt to plant them with some time gap. They will mature in different times and give you a longer time to harvest and enjoy the peas. Check your local garden shop for different varieties of seed available in your locality.

Peas are one of such a plant that requires very less fertilization. With the help of the nitrogen fixing bacteria in their roots they can manage their share of nitrogen. Though you have to add other nutrients from time to time you rarely need to add nitrogen. Excess amount of nitrogen can result in lush foliage and reduction in pods. Please keep this in mind in case you prepare your own compost, and add lesser amount of nitrogen rich materials.

For a good pea production you need to take care of the watering needs of the plant. Generally deep watering once or twice in a week will be sufficient. In the time of blossoming you need to provide extra water. A dry soil can drastically reduce a chance for a good pea production. A good sunlight is required for the fruit production so don’t ignore that.

Provide support as per the variety of the plant. For taller varieties you need to provide trellis, bamboo canes or netting. For dwarf varieties netting will be sufficient.

Please make sure not to plant peas or any legume plant in the same soil more than once in a three years.
Being a legume plant pea is very good in companion planting. It works well with most of the plants. Radish, spinach, lettuce all leafy vegetable all do well with peas. Cucumber and potatoes show special affinity towards peas. Just avoid garlic and onions for better pea production.

One important tip for harvesting. Don’t pull out the roots while harvesting rather cut off the stem above the ground level. The roots contain nitrogen fixing bacteria. Allow these root to rot down in the soil to increase the nitrogen content of the soil which will be beneficial for the next plant in that soil.

The root system of a pea plant is not very deep. So while picking the pods use both of your hands, one to hold the vines and pick the pods with the other one. To increase the pod yields you need to pick them regularly. The yield will be reduced in case the overly matured pods are left in the vines.

The best way to enjoy peas is fresh and direct from the plants. But in case your production is much more than daily consumption, you can definitely store in refrigerator or you can even dry them in sunlight and then also store them in containers.

Hope you have enjoyed the article. Like to know your feedback on this.


Peas are cool climate plant. It prefers sandy loam soil with a great drainage facility. With a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5 is generally idea for peas. In case your soil is much more acidic than this add dolomite or lime with the soil to bring it to this optimum level.


Plant different varieties all at once and don’t make an attempt to plant them with some time gap. They will mature in different times and give you a longer time to harvest and enjoy the peas. Check your local garden shop for different varieties of seed available in your locality.

Peas are one of such a plant that requires very less fertilization. With the help of the nitrogen fixing bacteria in their roots they can manage their share of nitrogen. Though you have to add other nutrients from time to time you rarely need to add nitrogen. Excess amount of nitrogen can result in lush foliage and reduction in pods. Please keep this in mind in case you prepare your own compost, and add lesser amount of nitrogen rich materials.

For a good pea production you need to take care of the watering needs of the plant. Generally deep watering once or twice in a week will be sufficient. In the time of blossoming you need to provide extra water. A dry soil can drastically reduce a chance for a good pea production. A good sunlight is required for the fruit production so don’t ignore that.

Provide support as per the variety of the plant. For taller varieties you need to provide trellis, bamboo canes or netting. For dwarf varieties netting will be sufficient.

Please make sure not to plant peas or any legume plant in the same soil more than once in a three years.
Being a legume plant pea is very good in companion planting. It works well with most of the plants. Radish, spinach, lettuce all leafy vegetable all do well with peas. Cucumber and potatoes show special affinity towards peas. Just avoid garlic and onions for better pea production.

One important tip for harvesting. Don’t pull out the roots while harvesting rather cut off the stem above the ground level. The roots contain nitrogen fixing bacteria. Allow these root to rot down in the soil to increase the nitrogen content of the soil which will be beneficial for the next plant in that soil.

The root system of a pea plant is not very deep. So while picking the pods use both of your hands, one to hold the vines and pick the pods with the other one. To increase the pod yields you need to pick them regularly. The yield will be reduced in case the overly matured pods are left in the vines.

The best way to enjoy peas is fresh and direct from the plants. But in case your production is much more than daily consumption, you can definitely store in refrigerator or you can even dry them in sunlight and then also store them in containers.

Hope you have enjoyed the article. Like to know your feedback on this.

Selasa, 17 September 2013

Temperature And Its Impact on Gardening

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- Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about , i was write this article for sharing Article factors of gardening, Article Temperature, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Temperature And Its Impact on Gardening
link : Temperature And Its Impact on Gardening

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Earlier I have discussed two of the major factors of Gardening. Viz, Water and Sunlight. Today I want to discuss another such important  factor in the Gardening, Heat or temperature.


First let us have some insights about how a plant generally combat a hot weather. First causality of hot weather is loss of moisture from the plant as well as from the soil. A few plants can conserve water inside their stem and leaves and thus can tackle the situation. But most of the plants show wilting in excess heat. This can even go to a situation where the leaves will dry up, become yellow and eventually die.

In case of the mild increase of temperature above the tolerance level, some plants shed their leaves to cut down on the release of water. Plants like tomato, cucumbers, pumpkins etc stop producing and drop the blossoms, whereas cool climate plants such as cabbage, broccoli or spinach start bolting. If the temperature raised above 90 deg F, you might not receive the actual size of tomato which you thought you will get. At times many of us might even blame the variety of the tomato for that, whereas in most of the cases it is the weather who you needs to be blamed.

Some parasites infestation is also seen in times of hot summer. Hot dry weather is heaven for spider mites on plants. These insects can really damage the leaves.

There is not much we can do to change the weather but we can really use some techniques which can really minimize the impact.

First and foremost you need to make sure, there is no shortage of water in the soil. It is the water which is responsible for carrying the nutrients from the soil to the plant in the form of sap. So make sure that the plants should not be devoid of nutrients in the hot summer. For container garden, you might need to water twice a day in some cases. Also it is equally important to make sure your soil has proper drainage. You can add different soil less media to the soil to increase the drainage capacity. What can be worse than keeping the plant in a water logged situation and let the plant rot.

Another way to increase the moisture retention of the soil is by applying mulch. Mulch will also help in preventing outside heat reaching the soil and keep the soil cool. It also control the weeds. More on mulch here.

You can also provide some shade net to control the heat of the environment. Some plants can do wonders if provided with the shade net.

As they say, there are always some positives in every negative situation, this hot and dry weather can reduce various fungal diseases of the plants such as blight and powdery mildew which are very common in monsoon.



I know the hot weather is very damaging for the gardens and the gardeners. I hope most of you still have not faced this condition but if you had any experience as such this article might have able to solve some of your questions. I would also like to know what  tricks or techniques you have applied to combat this situation. See you all in my next article. Till then, keep your comments coming.


Earlier I have discussed two of the major factors of Gardening. Viz, Water and Sunlight. Today I want to discuss another such important  factor in the Gardening, Heat or temperature.


First let us have some insights about how a plant generally combat a hot weather. First causality of hot weather is loss of moisture from the plant as well as from the soil. A few plants can conserve water inside their stem and leaves and thus can tackle the situation. But most of the plants show wilting in excess heat. This can even go to a situation where the leaves will dry up, become yellow and eventually die.

In case of the mild increase of temperature above the tolerance level, some plants shed their leaves to cut down on the release of water. Plants like tomato, cucumbers, pumpkins etc stop producing and drop the blossoms, whereas cool climate plants such as cabbage, broccoli or spinach start bolting. If the temperature raised above 90 deg F, you might not receive the actual size of tomato which you thought you will get. At times many of us might even blame the variety of the tomato for that, whereas in most of the cases it is the weather who you needs to be blamed.

Some parasites infestation is also seen in times of hot summer. Hot dry weather is heaven for spider mites on plants. These insects can really damage the leaves.

There is not much we can do to change the weather but we can really use some techniques which can really minimize the impact.

First and foremost you need to make sure, there is no shortage of water in the soil. It is the water which is responsible for carrying the nutrients from the soil to the plant in the form of sap. So make sure that the plants should not be devoid of nutrients in the hot summer. For container garden, you might need to water twice a day in some cases. Also it is equally important to make sure your soil has proper drainage. You can add different soil less media to the soil to increase the drainage capacity. What can be worse than keeping the plant in a water logged situation and let the plant rot.

Another way to increase the moisture retention of the soil is by applying mulch. Mulch will also help in preventing outside heat reaching the soil and keep the soil cool. It also control the weeds. More on mulch here.

You can also provide some shade net to control the heat of the environment. Some plants can do wonders if provided with the shade net.

As they say, there are always some positives in every negative situation, this hot and dry weather can reduce various fungal diseases of the plants such as blight and powdery mildew which are very common in monsoon.



I know the hot weather is very damaging for the gardens and the gardeners. I hope most of you still have not faced this condition but if you had any experience as such this article might have able to solve some of your questions. I would also like to know what  tricks or techniques you have applied to combat this situation. See you all in my next article. Till then, keep your comments coming.

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