http://www.weather.com/weather-n-you/gardening/ -- Lawrence F. London, Jr. - Venaura Farm - Chapel Hill, NC, USA mailto:london@sunSITE.unc.edu http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london mailto:london@mercury.interpath.net http://www.interpath.net/~london Piedmont Online http://sunSITE.unc.edu/piedmont piedmont@sunSITE.unc.eduTitle: Gardening Weather
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![]() Gardening Tip of the Week |
Compost |
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Compost adds nutrients to the soil, reduces the need for additional fertilizers, and dramatically improves soil structure. When it is dark and crumbly and most of the original material is no longer recognizable, it is ready to use. |
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![]() Gardening Scoop of the Week |
The Importance of Watering |
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All plants need water to survive. Water delivers soil nutrients to the roots and helps plants produce the fuel they need to grow and develop. Water also helps to cool plants: a large part of the water they absorb is given off as vapor during transpiration, a process similar to perspiration. Plants receive most of their water from soil. As water percolates down through the air pockets between soil particles, a plant's roots siphon off the water. The amount of water available to the plants depends in part on the soil's structure. Loam drains water completely but slowly, giving plants more time to absorb nutrients and moisture than a sandy soil, which drains more quickly. Gauging your soil's drainage rate and amending the soil so that it drains at an optimal rate are the first steps toward determining how much and how often to water your plants. |
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