Maximum Yield USA June 2018 | Page 57

“WINTER MAY BE BLEAK AND UNFRIENDL Y THE SUM MER CAN BE T O HEAT JUS T AS G ARDEN S, AND BUT DR O UG HT DEV AST AT IN G . ” Successful gardeners research weather patterns from previous years, look at daily weather reports, and read about new summertime gardening practices. Without knowledge, little mistakes can lead to big failures. Square Foot Gardening and the Watering Grid This innovative method of gardening minimizes water consumption and maximizes water efficiency, especially when done with a watering grid. Gardeners plant in a square or rectangle that is spaced per square foot, which saves space while keeping plants in close proximity with one another. While the plants are separated enough they don’t compete with each other, the condensed space makes watering more efficient. Working in tandem with square foot gardening is the grid spacing guide—a planting grid made dual-purpose water system—by Garden In Minutes. It uniformly organizes the garden and provides water where it needs to be: at the base of the plant. Soaking plants from top to bottom may seem like a hydrating practice, but it’s detrimental to their health. The droplets hanging on leaves magnify the sun’s rays and hurt the plant more than help it. Additionally, the droplets will most likely evaporate before hitting the ground. To combat the effects of drought and evaporation, ground level garden irrigation gently sprays water at the base of your garden plants. Not only does this use less water than a hose or sprinkler, it delivers water directly to the area filled with hungry roots. Maximum Yield 57