Four Ways to Keep Your Garden Growing During a Drought
BioFlora’s Soil Source®, gives plants a boost during a dry spell.
PHOENIX, AZ (March, 2016) – Planting a garden can be a rewarding experience, but the hard work that’s also involved will pay off only if there’s sufficient water for the fruits and vegetables to grow. With the drought likely to continue or to develop in many areas of the Southwestern United States this summer,
[1] BioFlora®, a division of Global Organics® Group, offers these tips for
cultivating a drought resistant garden.
- Prepare the soil. When water is scarce, the soil provides an environment where plants can thrive, so the right soil additives can make a big difference. Humic acids, for example, encourage the growth of root systems, allowing more uptake of nutrients and water by the plant.[2]Soil Source® is a biologically enhanced, humic acid soil additive that provides a diverse spectrum of naturally occurring, beneficial microbes that help rebuild and restore soils.
- Apply water efficiently. In dry climates the amount of water used outdoors in the summer can exceed the amount used for all other purposes during the entire year.[3] Reduce water usage in a garden by watering at night (between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.) and using a timer to limit how long the water will flow. Soaker hoses are a good way of getting the right amount of moisture where it’s needed, at the base of each plant.
- Organic mulch (such as grass clippings) applied one to three inches deep can reduce the need for irrigation by 50 percent.[4] If clippings are in short supply, a sheet or two of newspaper can serve as an underlayment, and it will help reduce weeds as well.
- Choose the right plants. A local garden center or university extension is a good place to get recommendations on what plants will do well in an area. The University of California, for example, suggests these water-efficient edibles: asparagus, chard, eggplant, mustard greens, peppers, roma tomatoes and California native strawberries.[5]
Growing fruits and vegetables in a water-starved environment presents extra challenges, but it is not impossible when the soil is well prepared and the gardener has made plans on how to use the resource most effectively. BioFlora is now offering a line of organic fertilizers and soil additives to small gardeners that will help improve soil no matter what the weather conditions. Used for years in the agricultural industry, these products have been proven effective in promoting plant growth.
About BioFlora
BioFlora is a division of Global Organics® Group (GOG), an international life sciences company that develops and manufactures proprietary organic and sustainable plant nutrition products and natural ionic minerals for human and animal health. For more than 40 years GOG and its BioFlora® business have been committed to preserving the earth’s ecosystem while providing superior plant nutrient systems.
Located in Goodyear, Arizona, USA, GOG is able to serve customers both locally and globally with the use of Green Acres, its 1,200 acre research farm, as well as its USDA Permitted Integrated Life Science Research Center® (ILSRC). For more information about Global Organics® Group, or to interview CEO and Managing Partner Luke Blotsky, please contact Sarah Van Wyk at svanwyk@globalorganicsgroup.com. Visit www.globalorganicsgroup.com to learn more.
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[1] U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook, March 17-June 30th. http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/sdo_summary.php[2] Humic substances biological activity at the plant-soil interface http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3001551/[3] Environmental Protection Agency, Water-Smart Landscaping, page 4. https://www3.epa.gov/watersense/docs/water-efficient_landscaping_508.pdf[4] Home Vegetable Garden Management during a Drought in California http://extension.colostate.edu/disaster-web-sites/drought-resources/drought-related-tip-sheets/home-vegetable-garden-management-during-a-drought-in-colorado/[5] Ten tips for vegetable gardening during a drought http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=13130
cultivating a drought resistant garden.