Creating a Drought-Tolerant Vegetable Garden
By Timothy Atchley, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener Intern
Last summer’s drought created extra challenges for vegetable gardeners, causing failed crops and frustration. Fortunately, creating a vegetable garden that is more tolerant to drought conditions is possible, even if you don’t have a lot of gardening experience. Combining xeriscaping techniques with square foot gardening is a great way to get started!
Xeriscaping is a gardening method that focuses on water conservation techniques such as using mulch, reducing fertilizers, planting drought-tolerant plants, installing efficient irrigation systems, and collecting rainwater. Square foot gardening is an ‘intensive’ style of gardening, where garden plots typically consist of raised beds that are divided into one-foot by one-foot squares. A specific number of plants will go into each square based on their feeding and growth habits, allowing the gardener to produce a high yield in a smaller space.
With square-foot gardening, a crop grown using only 16 square feet of space could have the same yield as the 100 square feet required when using traditional rows. Vegetables grown close together in fertile soil will naturally crowd out weeds and decrease evaporation, which will reduce time spent weeding as well as water and fertilizer use.
Growing vegetables requires planning to be successful, and xeriscaping and square-foot gardening are no different from conventional gardening in this respect. We can’t just throw seeds in the ground and water and weed randomly; we need to put the right plant in the right place at the right time.
Here are a few highlights for using xeriscaping techniques and the square foot garden method:
Test your soil every year, and amend it as needed.
Use soil rich in organic matter (manure and other organic materials), which helps reduce the use of fertilizers when the weather is abnormally hot.
Water between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. to reduce the amount of moisture lost to evaporation.
Use organic mulch to reduce evaporation, smother weeds, and keep water levels deep within root systems.
Select drought-resistant plants like rhubarb, sweet potatoes, summer squash, eggplants and pole beans.
Research the growing season forecast and select vegetables based on expected conditions, if necessary. Some plants are more adapted to hot and dry weather, while others perform better in cool and damp conditions.
Use a square foot gardening “cheat sheet” to help you calculate how many plants should go in each square foot. The University of Clemson Extension is one place to find online resources.
Collect rainwater to reduce the strain on groundwater supplies.
Xeriscaping will help you control water and evaporation rates and maintain a healthy vegetable garden that can survive and thrive. Square foot gardening compliments xeriscaping because planting your crops close together crowds out weeds and reduces water use. Maintaining healthy soil, using mulch, following a watering schedule, and controlling weeds will provide the best environment for vegetables in any conditions, but these practices are especially helpful in times of drought.
For information on how to keep your vegetable garden properly watered, visit: Watering the vegetable garden | UMN Extension
Join us in person for our "Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinics" every Wednesday, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., June 1 - August 10 at Bunker Hills Activities Center in Andover. Bring in samples for identification or diagnoses of common insects, diseases, or other plant problems. Visit anokamastergardeners.org to learn more about our free classes, events and projects.