Minimizing Water Evaporation in the Vegetable Garden
After a very changeable spring it got up to 25 and 29 degrees in June with nary a cloud in sight. So I started to test my idea for shading the vegetable garden to help prevent water evaporation.
All the shading nets available are dark and I break out in a sweat just looking at them. So I tried light shade for my raised beds, using flexible arcs of 2.5 meters length, standard white “frost protection fleece” and clothespins. The fleece can be opened or closed, raised or lowered as needed – for instance in strong wind.
So far it is working out well. We are now in the middle of July and I’ve had to water at most twice a week. The dense planting helps as well – each bed looks like a jungle under its covering and the plants are thriving. Melons and cucumbers are sending out long runners and need to be curbed in their enthusiasm.
Beginning of July:
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