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San Jose California

Unfortunately, with the severe drought condition in San Jose
this year, I have sadly decided to NOT grow pumpkins. What
can I do to keep my patch soil healthy, with using very minimal water? Is there maybe a summer cover crop that uses little water? Assume a thick cover of mulch would help, correct? Suggestions?

4/2/2014 2:36:48 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

I guessing that any fast growing, lush crop is going to require water anyway. You could grow a bunch of desert plants, but that isn't going to add much organic matter.

Just curious, (not trying to start anything) what are you currently seeing with regard to water restrictions? Price increase or surcharges? Limits to water only on certain days? Our water situation here in Idaho was looking bad, then March came and now we have plenty.

4/2/2014 2:51:17 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Massive serge in price and citations if caught watering on non approved days :(

I think my area is Tuesday and Thursday only,,, from 2 to 3pm....... They will let us know in the next month.

San Jose has been getting some good storms as of late. All those storms missed us :(

4/2/2014 3:13:57 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Iowa NRCS used to have a good cover crop publication on 46 different cover crops. It lists lots of different attributes of the crops, such as height, compatibility with mycorrhizae, water usage, etc. I can't find it on their website but I saved a copy on my computer. I can send it to anyone who's interested. The cover crops listed as low water usage are: barley, berseem clover, medic, field pea, lentil, lupine, chickpea, cowpea, amaranth, pearl millet and foxtail millet.

4/2/2014 3:23:49 PM

NILES , CALIF

Kurtis
I am in the same predicament as you; the homeowners
around me are ripen up there lawns and putting in drought
tolerant plants? that's how serious this water thing is.
As far as suggestions ???

4/2/2014 3:27:37 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Don't do amaranth, or you will always do amaranth for the rest of your life... ;-)

4/2/2014 5:52:06 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Where's that dang spell check:)

4/2/2014 6:09:11 PM

San Jose California

Hi Cliff, I'm hearing we may be asked to reduce by almost
25% in my area, or fines will ensue. And we already pay big
$$ for water here as it is! Hope to grow maybe a few heirloom tomatoes to keep my growing sanity in check.

Iowegian, thanks for the cover crop info, I will look further into it!

4/2/2014 6:56:04 PM

Springfield, Missouri

Cowpeas don't use too much water. They will send roots down several feet, form associations with mycorrhizae, and can fix their own nitrogen. Iron and Clay cowpeas are supposed to have fairly good resistance to disease and nematodes.

4/2/2014 9:48:36 PM

Deer Park, WI

Consider an approach that looks beyond just this season. If drought is to persist beyond this year (a very likely scenario), then a strategy for the long term building of organic matter may be worthy of consideration. OM is the most potent "additive" you can use to facilitate water retention in your soil. Indeed, a cover crop that is more drought tolerant and has superior organic matter contribution would be a wise choice.

The most thorough and exhaustive free online cover crop guide available:

http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Managing-Cover-Crops-Profitably-3rd-Edition

4/3/2014 8:25:32 AM

East Jordan, MI

I know this may sound crazy, but are there any weeds that occur naturally? They will keep the ground covered, typically survive with out watering and will add OM and if mowed regularly may not become out of control. It might be better than leaving it barren.

4/3/2014 7:41:45 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Here is the website for the cover crop chart that I mentioned. It has very good information. https://prod.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_006029.pdf

4/3/2014 10:47:53 PM

Hinckley MN

If you are not growing pumpkins and don't want to water I would suggest either solarizing the patch to reduce disease and weeds or putting down heavy layers of organic mulch (compost, aged manure, shredded straw, grass clippings, etc.). to solarize you till, water lightly and cover with clear plastic for a couple weeks. till and repeat. It is a way to sterilize the soil. Heavy sheet mulching, especially if seeded with worms, will build the soil up. Both will require occasional watering, but nothing like growing an AG. you can even solarize a couple times then mulch it for the rest of the summer/fall and then grow a cover crop over winter. there are many options

4/4/2014 9:06:00 AM