Gardening Without Irrigation: or without much, anyway

t with Less I

Word Abou

be grown with a minimum of irrigation. In the otherwise well-watered East, one could routinely expect several consecutive weeks every summer without rain. In some drought years a hot, r

ely separated single rows was a foolish imitation of commercial farming, that commercial vegetables were arranged that way for ease of mechanical cultivation. Closely plan

s in widely separated rows may be considered the more efficient users of water because they consume soil moisture that nature freely puts there. Only after, and if, these reserves are

ered that they can make a bigger profit by growing smaller, quick-maturing plants in high-density spacings. Most modern vegetables have been bred to suit this method. Many new varieties can't forage and have be

self-sufficiency. My earlier book, being a guide to what passes for ordinary vegetable gardening these days, assumed the availability of plenty of water. The varieties I recommended in [i]Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades[i] were largely modern ones, and th

mpany D

tion: P.O. Box 772, Port

s: Foss Hill Road, Alb

Thompson Street, Corv

toes: P.O. Box 1838,

. Box 548, Buffa

ny: P.O. Box 20, Cotta

chapter, the reader will be referred to a specific co

ow a fair percentage of bizarre, misshapen, nonproductive plants. These "off types" can be compensated for by growing a somewhat larger garden and allowing for some waste. Dr. Alan Kapuler, who runs Peace Seeds, has brilliantly pointed out to me why heirlo

The Key to Wate

like potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and cucurbits (squash, cucumbers, and melons) are allocated more elbow room. Those few requiring intensive irrigation are grown on a raised bed, tightly spaced. I cannot prescribe what would be the perfect, most effi

ummer than the Willamette Valley. Washingtonians and British Columbians have cooler days and a greater likelihood of significant summertime rain and s

ion as much as possible while maintaining food quality. Those with thinner soil who are going to depend more on fertigation may

lts can only be determined by trial. I'd suggest y

to

e wisely adjusted to your location. The planting dates in this chapter are what I follow in my own garden. It is impractical to include specific dates for all the

n the dates I use. In the Garden Valley of Roseburg and south along I-5, start spring plantings a week or two

coast; that has the same effect of slowing late-summer growth. Items started after midsummer should be given one or two extra growing weeks by coastal, high-elevation, and northern

la (R

e leaves make winter sala

rugula lasts all winter and doesn't make seed until March. Pregerminated seeds emerge fas

acant niche. The seedlings will be in

bit from moisture stress they'll catch

ties:

of All

ion while vigorously struggling for water, nutrition, and l

s over and soil stays over 60[de]F. If the earth is getting dry by this date, soak the seed overni

. Allow about 2[f]1/2 to 3 feet on either side of th

height, the trellis tends to intercept quite a bit of water and dumps it at the base. You can also use the bucket-drip method and fertigate the beans, giving about 25 gallons

r locations but are every bit as drought tolerant as ordinary snap beans. My curren

ack Coco (TSC), which is my most productive and best-tasting bush cultivar, Kentucky Wonder Brown Seeded (sometimes called Old Homestead) (STK, PEA, ABL) yields about 50 percent more seed and keeps on growing for weeks after Coco has quit. Do not bother to ferti

rwintered: sow in October, sprout on fall rains, grow over the winter, and dry down in June with the soil. Garbanzos are grown like mildly frost-tolerant peas

e

le realize-in uncompacted, nonacid soils. Double or

sh Columbia. Beet seed germinates easily in moist, cool soil. A single sowing may be harvested

ish size, thin to 2 inches apart and eat the thinings, tops and all. When they've grown to golfball size, thin to 4 inches apart, thin again. When they reach the size of large lemons, thin to 1 fo

t necessary with over 4

hick, protective skin and retains excellent eating quality. Winterkeepers, normal

i: Ital

an endure long periods of moisture stress, but the smaller, woody, slow-developing florets won't be great eating. Without any

gh early April. With fertigation, also mid-April through mi

r sowings slated to mature during summer's heat can use 4 feet. On a fist-sized spot compacted to restore capillarity, sow a little pinch of seed atop

the size of the heads and the quality of side shoots. A fertigated May sowing will be exhausted by October. Take a chance: a heavy side-dressing of strong

ollowed by abundant side shoots. Old, open-pollinated types like Italian Sprouting Calabrese, DeCicco, or Waltham 29 are highly variable, bushy, with rather coarse, large-beaded flowers, second-rate flavor and many, many side shoots. Irrigating gardeners wh

prouting and Other

ike broccoli, 3

h the summer, push it for size in fall and winter, and then harvest it next March. With too early a start i

sorts are better started in a nursery bed around August 1 and like overwintered cauliflower, transplanted

urple Sprouting eventually reaches 4 to 5 feet in h

for their beauty. Quality or quantity of spring harvest won't drop one bit if the plants become a little stunt

igor in the C

oe, and allow this weed to totally control all the moisture and nutrients in all the earth its roots can occupy, and it grows hugely and lushly. J

ains the most wild aggressiveness, Chinese cabbage perhaps the least. Here, in approximately correct order, is shown the declining root vigor

gardening Not

broccoli (s

te types) Cabbage (r

ge Brussels spro

kohlrabi Small "mar

abbage Cauliflower

Turnips a

(some varieties

els S

ation. At Elkton I dry garden Brussels sprouts by sowing late April to early May. Started this soon, even late-maturing varieties may begin forming sprouts by September.

each spot abou

he rains come sooner) will provoke very rapid autumn growth and a surprisingly large yield from plants that looked stress out in August. If increasingly larger amounts

(TSC) has the finest eating qualities. Were I farther north I'd grow hardier types like Stabolite (TSC) or Fortress

bb

amounts of water. But easiest-to-grow savoy types will do surprisingly well

in mid-March for harvest during summer; the second, late and very late varieties started late April to earl

by about 30 inches. The later ones are large plants and should be given 4 feet of space or 16 square feet of growing room. Sow and grow them li

small, somewhat moisture-stressed savoys make very edible heads. In terms of increased yield for water expended, it is well w

ing Salarite or Savoy Princess for earlies; Savoy Queen, King, or Savoy Ace for midsummer; and Savonarch (TSC) for late August/early September harvests. They're all great varieties. For the second sowing I grow Savonarch (TSC) fo

rr

o sprout the seed without irrigation but always fear that hot weather will frustrate my efforts. So I till and plant too soon. And then heavy rain comes and co

te: April

o 1 inch apart. Then thin every other carrot when the roots are [f]3/8 to [f]1/2 inch in diameter and eat the thinni

few weeks will make much larger roots. Without a

Danvers types. I'd also try Royal Chantenay (PEA), Fakkel Mix (TSC), Stokes "Processor" types, and Topweight (ABL). Be prepared to experiment with variety. The roots will not be quite as tender as heavily watered

lif

ormation of curds. The only important cauliflowers suitable for dry gardening are overwintered types. I call them important

ing the difficult heat of early August. Except south of Yoncalla, delaying sowing until September makes very small seedlin

splant about 2 feet apart

ed like broccoli (but closer together), and periodically irrigate until fall. If you only moisten a narrow band of so

the very pricy Armado se

h

t is just as drought tolerant as a beet, and in dry gardening, chard is sown, spaced, and grown just like a

n the season; they have a strong tendency to bolt prematurely i

o

or as early in spring as the earth can be worked without making too many clods. Corn will germinate

can be set deep, where soil moisture still exists even after condition

around Puget Sound or in B.C. I'd try 2 feet apart in rows 30 inches apart. Gary Nabhan describes Papago gardeners in Arizona growing individual cornstalks 10 feet apart. Grown on wide spacings, corn te

rn may be spaced 8 inches apart in rows 30 inche

local harvest season. Were I a devoted corn grower without any irrigation, I'd be experimenting with various types of field corn instead of sweet corn. Were I a self-sufficien

ugh within hours of harvest. Eaten promptly, "pig" corn is every bit as tasty as Jubilee. I've had the best dry-ga

Starting Cucu

oisture. Squash are the most chill and moisture tolerant, melons the least. Here's a f

six squash seeds about 2 inches deep in a clump in the very center of that hill. Then, a week later, plant another clump at 12 o'clock. In another week, plant another clump at 3 o'clock, and continue doing this until one of the sowings sprouts. Probably the fi

cucumbers, starting a new batch each week until one emerges.

ation while being protected against the probability that cold, damp weather will pr

umb

About May 5 t

bout 3 feet from the hill. Space the hills

creasing amounts of fertigation will in

ave terrific flavor. The burpless or Japanese sorts don't seem to adapt well to drought. Most slicers dry-garden excellently. Apple or Lemon are similar novelty heirlooms that make very extensive vines with aggres

gp

ooner and more abundantly. I suspect this delicate and fairly drought-resistant trop

wo weeks after the tomatoes, after all frost danger has pas

soil under each transplant. Separate plants

ucket of fertigation every three to four weeks during summer may result in

ity to tolerate dryish soil. I've had good yields from the regi

di

ble to grow through prolonged drought. Because endive remains bitter until cold weather, it doesn't

when germination of shallow-sown small seed is a snap, it will bolt prematurely. The crucial moment seems to be about June 1. April/May sowings bolt in July/August,: after June 1, bolting won't h

in rows 4 feet apart and thin gradually until the rosette

s no other crop is invading their root zone. The only time I had trouble was when the endive row was too close to an aggressiv

c fertilizer or compost in late Septembe

rain and frost during winter than broad-leaf

e

rainfall and surviving seven to nine months without rainfall every summer. In our climate, merely giving them a little more elbow room than usually offered, thorough weeding, and side-

a

uce freezes out many winters (19-21 degree F), this adjustment has proved very useful. Gradually I began to appreciate kale, too, and now value it as a salad green far more than cabbage. This

ed with potatoes and then mashed, the two vegetables complement and flavor each other. Our region could probably subsist quite a bit more healthfully than at

il the next spring. The water-wise gardener can conveniently sow kale while cool, moist soil simplifies germination. Starting this early also produces a deep root system before the soil d

ke broccoli, spa

growth as soon as fall rains resume. With the help of occasional fertigation they grow lushly an

enderer and much milder. The more rosettes developed on Siberian kales, the more little leaves there are to be picked. By pinching off the central growing tip in October and then gradually stripping off the large shading leaves, oleracea varieties may be encou

C) and Konserva (JSS) are tall European oleracea varieties. Winterbor F1 (JSS, TSC) is also excellent. The dwarf "Scotch" kales, blue or green, sold by many A

abi (

ow room. With ordinary varieties, try thinning to 5 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart and harvest by thinning alternate plants. Given this additiona

sed with table types to make "giant" table varieties that really suit dry gardening. What to do with a giant kohlrabi (or any bulb getting

il, as late as possible while still getting

3 feet apart in r

soil, but if they get one or two thorough fer

o be woody, are crude, and throw many off-types, a high percentage of weak plants, and/or poorly shaped roots. By the time this book is i

e

ium I know of that may grow steadily but slowly through severe drought; t

nursery bed in March or early April at the latest. Grow thickly, irrigat

ining 5 or 6 inches of soil below the seedlings. With a strong jet of water, blast away the soil and, while doing this, gently separate the tangled roots so that as

holes along the bottom of the trench. If the nursery bed has grown well there should be about 4 inches of stem on each seedling before the first leaf attaches. If the weather is hot and sunny, snip off about one-third to one-half the leaf area to reduce transplanting shock. Drop one leek seedling into each hole up to the point that the first leaf attache

of a row 4 feet wide. If unlimited water is available, give them 2 inches of separation. Or adjust spacing to the water availabl

. Durabel (TSC) has an especially mild, sweet flavor. Other useful varie

tt

sually gets bitter without regular, heavy irrigation. I reserve my well-watered raised bed for this summer salad crop. Those very short of water can start fall/winter lettuce in a shaded, irrigated

Wise C

ral feet and then, soil conditions permitting, thickly occupies a large area, ultimately reaching down 5 to 8 fee

than the greatest possible extent of the variety's ultimate growth.[i] Common garden lore states that squashes droop their leaves in midsummer heat and that this trait cannot be avoided and does no harm. But if they've g

re the vines will ultimately reach to avoid compaction. Finally, [i]do not transplant them.[i] This breaks t

lo

May 15 to June 1. Thin to a single plant per hill when there

reaching about 8 feet in diameter. Space

y two or three times and may make the melons sweeter. Release the water/fe

early and seem the most productive under the most droughty conditions. I've had reasonable results from most otherwise regionally adapted cantaloupes and m

s/Sca

ater-wise gardener can still supply the kitchen with onions or onion substitutes year-round. Leeks take care of November

hardy enough to survive winter. About August 15 at Elkton I sow thickly in a well-watered and very fertile nursery bed. If you have more than one nursery row, separate them about by 12 inches.

d onions, but earlier so they're large enough for

a couple of feet of elbow room on either side. I've found I get the best growth and largest bulbs if they follow potatoes. After the potatoes are dug in early O

th the fall rains, about 1 inch ap

ult in much larger bulbs or scallions. Scallions will bolt in April; the b

intered bulb onions, grow very mild but poorly keeping Walla Walla Sweet (JSS)

rs

sley seed takes two to

single row 4 feet wide. Five plants

mmer and that is very unlikely. Parsley's very deep, forag

differences in flavor or amount of leaf curl. Another type of parsley is grown for edible roots that

e

gle rows about 4 feet apart. I always overlook some pods, which go on to form mature seed. Without

pp

go intense root competition even before their leaves form a canopy. With or without unl

a few square feet of soil beneath each seedling, and make sur

et apart in rows

ties will set anything. For an abundant harvest, fertigate every three or four

generally adapt better to our region's cool weather. I've had best results with Cayenne Long Slim,

ta

. Potatoes produce more calories per unit of land than any other temperate crop. Irrigated potatoes yield more calories and two to three times as much watery bulk and indi

17th-St. Patrick's Day. Rain or shine, in untilled mud or finely worked and deeply fluffe

izer as deeply as possible and ending up with a finely pulverized 24-inch-wide bed. At Elkton, this is usually mid-to late April. There is

uld be 2[f]1/2 to 3 feet of soil unoccupied with the roots of any other crop on each side of the row. As the vines emerge, gradually scrape soil up over them with a hoe. Let the vines grow about 4 inches, then pull up about 2 inches of cover. Let anoth

scraped up, that may interfere with maximum tuber enlargement. However, after the vin

r varieties will shrivel by August. Potatoes only keep well when very cool, dark, and moist-conditions almost impossible to create on the homestead during summer. The best August compromise is to leave mature potatoes undug, but soil temperatures are in the 70s during August, and by early October, when potatoes should be lifted and put into storage, th

for yield without regard to flavor or nutrition. One, Nooksack Cascadian, is a very late variety grown co

aturity. For the ultimate in earlies I suggest Red Gold. For main harvests I'd try Indian Pit, Carole,

aba

s what happens. If I start rutabagas in early April and space them about 2 to 3 feet apart in rows 4 feet apart, by October they're the size of basketballs and look pretty good;

ot summer as small plants with limited root systems and no irrigation at all they became somewhat stunted. By October 1 the tops were still small and a little gnarly;

irrigation were used to start rutabagas about July 1, a decent unwatered crop might be had most years. And I am certain t

ltasweet (STK, TSC)

rr

ailable, sorrel will probably be unpicked. That's ok. During fall, winter, and spring, sorrel's lemony taste and delicate, tender texture balance tougher sav

e tiny seed must be placed shallowly, and it sprouts much more readily when

n the leaves are about the size of ordinary spinach

If production lags in fall, winter, or spring, side-dress t

ize into an unwanted weed around the garden. So, before any seed forms, cut all the leaves and seed stalks close to the ground; use the trimmings as a convenient mulch along the row. If you move the garden or want to relocate the patch, do not start sorrel again from seed. In any season dig up a few plants, divide the root masses, trim off mo

in

of its leaves. A bolt-resistant, long-day variety bred for summer harvest sown in late April may still yield pickable

Winter a

out April 15. In the Willamette, May 1 is usual. Farther north, squash may not come up

er squash can completely occupy a 10-foot-diameter circle. Sprawly heirloom summer squash varieties can desiccate an 8-or 9-foot-diameter

o to three weeks you may harvest 60 pounds of squash from the same area. The first fertigation may only need 2 gallons. Then mid-July give 4; about August 1, 8; August 15, feed 15 gallons. After that date, solar intensity and temperatures decline, growth ra

t trust any of the newer compact bush winter varieties so popular on raised beds. Despite their reputation for drought tolerance C. mixta varieties (or cushaw squash) were believed to be strictly hot desert or humid-tropical varieties, u

harder to find. These are the only American heirlooms still readily available. Black Zucchini has become very raggedy; anyone growing it should be prepared to plant several vines and accept that at least one-third of them will throw rather off-type fruit. It needs the work of a skilled plant breeder. Yellow Crookneck is still a fairly "clean" variety offering good uniformity. Both have more flav

duce quite a bit more squash than new hybrid types. I now grow five or six fully irrigated early hybrid plants like Seneca Zucchini too. As soon

ma

must be allowed to control all the space they can without competition, so allow the vines to sprawl as well. And pruning t

t also be jump started under cloches two to three weeks befor

he root system can occupy as much spac

se yield and size of fruit. The old indeterminate sprawlers will produce through an entir

nly does it have to be early and able to set and ripen fruit when nights are cool, but to grow through months without watering the plant must be highly indeterminate. T

single plant is capable of covering a 9- to 10-foot-diameter circle if fertigated from

ost bush cherry tomato varieties. But our earliest cherry variety of all, OSU's Gold Nugget, must grow a lot more root than top, for, with or without supplemental water, Gold Nugget sets heavily a

become stunted in midsummer. However, a single indeterminate Fantastic Hybrid will cover a 6-to 7-foot-diameter circle, and grow and ripen tomatoes un