Hi, everyone and a belated Happy New Year to you!
Boy, what a crazy winter this has been so far. I'm sure all of you are appreciating the fact that you don't have to shovel any snow or drive on icy roads. This has certainly not been what I would consider a "La Nina" winter.
While the mild weather has been easy to deal with, it's hard to predict how the remainder of the winter will impact the plants in our landscapes.
While you might not like dealing with a lot of snow, it's important to remember that snow provides an insulating blanket for our plants, which protects them from extreme temperature fluctuations. And all that moisture keeps plants from drying out.
I think the weather forecasters are scratching their heads at this point, trying to figure out what's in store for us in the coming months. If this mild, dry weather continues, I think we might have a drought on our hands. And if that's the case, we'll need to plan ahead on how to conserve water in our own gardens.
For starters, I like to use mulches around my plants. I also water early in the morning, both to cut down on evaporation and to avoid shocking the leaves with cold water in the middle of the day. I also use soaker hoses in my raised-bed vegetable garden. This puts water right where the plants need it and eliminates wasting water on the paths around the beds.
As you start planning your 2012 garden, try to keep these things in mind. And even if we end up with a normal amount of precipitation this year, water-saving methods will protect a most precious resource. For all sorts of ideas on how to conserve water both in your home and your garden, visit the Spokane Aquifer's web site.