LETTER: 'A challenging year for gardeners,' plus observations on climate change

As the dry spell continues, gardeners are being tested for their persistence with watering. At the Kalispell Community Garden on Hawthorn Avenue, gardeners have been busy since they planted seeds trying to keep moisture in the soil.

It is global warming affecting our personal lives. People in the community who are trying to keep their lawns alive are affected also. We’ve learned a new respect for the ability of weeds to thrive in dry conditions. Some seem to have roots reaching to China for water to keep them growing.

I have visited my garden every day, watering at least once, sometimes twice. Basic practices have inspired my soil: the addition of organic matter (steer manure, compost, peat moss, leaves and coffee grounds) which I have done for four years, filling the soil spring and fall, which the community garden does for the $15 a year charge.

I use a modified raised-bed design, keeping soil around the edges to keep water from flowing into the paths between. When plants are up and the first crop of weeds pulled, I put any compost available around the veggies and between the beds — newspapers, peat moss and plants other gardeners throw away, and even weeds as long as they are not flowering and creating nasty seeds.

This year I invested in a 50-foot roll of medium-weight cloth and protected my squash varieties from weeds and dryness. I put shovels full of coffee grounds on top to keep the cloth in place and help create moisture. Recently, on a day when it was a windy 97 degrees, I looked and the plants were happy little pumpkin makers.

I also remind Kalispell gardeners that the Flathead Valley was formed from limestone by glaciers, which makes the soil more alkaline than vegetables like, so the addition of sulfur is a must to keep the garden thriving.

In the book “Global Warning, the Last Chance for Change” Paul Brown writes: “In all parts of the world, farmers are having to adapt to new temperature and rainfall patterns and grow different crops to suit the changing conditions.”

“Global Warning” is a Reader’s Digest book copyrighted in 2007. Local gardeners can expect unprecedented conditions each year, requiring extra care. Taking climate change as a challenge can lead to successful gardeners, a joy in learning, and satisfaction on keeping up with the rest of the world. —Mary Ann Garvey, Kalispell