SUMMER
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which would leave the surface dry too soon . If you have sandy soil it will also help to line your beds with semi-pervious material such as cardboard below your plants , which traps nutrients and slows drainage . This means less watering and less fertilising . Organic amendments can freely be introduced into your soil at various depths in the bed to create a deep and thorough profile of great soil . Another way to trap the rainfall in your soil is by mulching . Mulching is the covering of soil with organic material , such as leaves , chipped twigs or grass cuttings . It is much the same as what naturally occurs in a forest when leaves fall to the ground . Mulch prevents evaporation and allows the topsoil to remain moist so that earthworms and other beneficial creatures can live
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there . It also suppresses weeds and becomes fertiliser as the material breaks down . Check your beds for even drainage . After heavy rainfall , look for areas that may be draining poorly . You do not want areas of long standing water in the vegetable garden . This can be bad for plants as it could lead to root rot . If you find areas that drain poorly , create ways to get the water to drain away from the vegetable garden .
Be sure that there is a constant level of nutrients in your soil , as rains may wash them away . A liquid fertiliser , worm tea or compost tea are good options . This will ensure that your plants are strong . Taller plants need support so that they are not battered by heavy rain . Obviously climbing plants such as tomatoes , peas and beans need some form of trellis to grow up . Creeping vegetables such as squashes , pumpkins or cucumbers might need to protected from muddy soil to prevent them from rotting . Dry hay under each gourd works well . After rain has fallen , check for any exposed roots due to soil erosion . If you find exposed roots , cover them with soil or compost as soon as possible . Do not let the roots dry out , this could be bad for the plant .
QUIRKY
There ' s a simple explanation as to why Chinese goods are often considered rubbish in the countries in which they are sold . It ' s because the instruction manuals and safety pamphlets often appear to have been written by a ten-year-old child . A ten-year-old Chinese child , that is , fluent in Chinglish rather than English . Here are two examples of Chinglish ( Chinese English ): ❑ On a safety pamphlet for a fluorescent light fitting : “ Pleasure notice user : This product barely use in coordination with conventional ballast .” Huh ? ❑ “ Vegetables cover usage elucidation . 1 . Press down a head leftly , the right hand pulls to rise the cordage . 2 . Accept to match press by hand and downwards .” And by such means will your flyscreen food cover appear magically before you .