Post date: Jun 12, 2020 6:44:04 PM
Uma Sashikanth
June 21 is the equinox. The official start of summer. Repeat the sun mapping exercise at your yard.
When you compare with the March 21 mapping, you will know the sun’s movement in Spring.
This will help you plan your sowings efficiently and for maximizing the utilization of areas that get more than 6 hours of sun.
Mark your yard into grow areas. Name or number them. Make a table. Every three hours, from sunrise to sun set, mark each of the areas as sunny or shaded. End of the day add up and estimate the sun hours.
An entire year of observation on Mar 21, June 21, Sep 21 and Dec 21 will help you know how your yard receives sun. This is critical to all your planting designs and plans.
You must get familiar with how all the elements work at your yard. Sun mapping is one of them.
Walk around the yard on a rainy day. You will know the contours. How water flows, where it stagnates, and how long it stays before draining off.
Similarly, get familiar with air flow. Walk and wait at various points of the yard when wind blows. You will know how the wind moves and how the structures - your house, patio, trees, neighbors house walls - impact wind flow.
The more you know the micro climate of your yard, the better your designs will be. Your plants will be healthy, and yields plentiful. You won’t have to slog. Gardening is not hard work - don’t make it that.