Rainy days
We are officially in the El Niño phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) - which is basically an oscillation in weather patterns over the Pacific Ocean. The El Niño phase brings hot dry weather to Australia, while the La Niña phase, which we have been in over the last three years, brings wetter than usual springs and summers. Gardens that have previously relied on rainfall and lots of residual moisture in the soil are going to need a helping hand.
In Brisbane we’ve already had quite a dry and windy spring and conditions aren’t set to abate, although as I write this it’s a lovely drizzly Sunday. I have very sandy soil, and on top of that, I have chickens who like to rearrange my mulch (generally heaping it generously on the pavers and lawns and removing it from the garden beds…). Neither of these factors helps retain water and the dry conditions have wreaked havoc. A lot of my soil has become quite hydrophobic - the water sits on top and then runs off with the dirt below looking as dry as it started.
Even if you don’t have sandy soil or chickens, extended hot and dry periods and inconsistent watering can lead to a build up of waxy residue that coats your soil particles and renders them hydrophobic. Where does the wax come from, you ask? Well, as organic matter (which we all add in abundance as much as we can, right?) breaks down, waxy by-products are created that are normally dealt with by the soil microbes. Unfortunately as it gets hotter and drier, the soil microbes slow down (I don’t blame them!) and the waxy leftovers build up.
A cool, wet, well-fed microbe is a happy microbe. So mulch, water and well rotted compost are in order. But if you’ve missed a beat and your soil is bone dry and repelling water like a nasturtium leaf, you can try a soil wetter. Soil wetters are basically just a detergent for your soil that washes the wax off. You can even use actual detergent but make sure to use a biodegradable one.
I applied a hose pack full of wetter over my garden beds late last week in the hope that it would help the soil absorb the rain this weekend. Rain water, in particular, is great for the garden as it is slightly acidic (which helps plants absorb nutrients better), contains less chemicals such as chlorine and sodium which are very common in tap water, and can also contain nitrates, the most easily digestible form of nitrogen. Air is 78% nitrogen, but it’s too hard for plants to use as it is. During thunderstorms, energy from lightning breaks down the nitrogen, which mixes with oxygen in the air and the water in the raindrops and turns into something the plants can use! So if you’ve ever wondered why everything looks so lush and green after a good storm… now you know!