Creating Microclimates to Facilitate Growth

Many gardeners live in areas where almost anything can grow effortlessly.Just plant the seeds and water it for a few weeks, and you’ve got abeautifully lush plant. But if you live in somewhere like Colorado, you’llunderstand what its like to have a slim selection of plants that naturallygrow. It can be quite a challenge to facilitate the growth of a largevariety of plants, especially when the very world you live in seems to berooting against you.

Some people solve this problem by loading up their plants with every typeof chemical and fertilizer known to man. This usually works, but to me itseems kind of unnatural to rely on man made materials to keep your plantsalive. Also, if I’m growing fruits or vegetables, I don’t feel verycomfortable eating something that is entirely composed of chemicals.

A gardening theory that I have relied on in the past to grow many types ofplants is that of creating a “microclimate” for each type of plant. Thisis when you regulate the sunlight, shade, moisture, and wind factors foreach separate plant. It sounds like a challenge, and it is. But you canregulate these factors in such a way that the plant feels just like it isin the ideal growing conditions. This can be achieved by the use of windbarriers, shading umbrellas, extra water, or different types or amounts ofcompost.

If you’re ready to make an attempt at creating microclimates, you’ll needto make a detailed plan in advanced. You should start by finding a largeshade providing bush or tree that will grow fast and naturally in yourarea. Just look at some undeveloped plots of land and see what is there.Most likely it grew on its own without any planting or care. This is whatyou want to happen. Usually the growing of one plant can bring about thegrowing of another more desirable plant.

If you have a fence in your backyard (you would be surprised at how manypeople don’t) then you already have a good amount of shade to work with.You can start the microclimate process using just the shade of the fence,combined with (perhaps) a screen or large bush to shade your new plant forthe other half of the day that the fence doesn’t take care of. The fenceis also useful for shading against wind for very fragile plants.

Once you have established the shade, be it natural or unnatural, you havecreated a slightly less harsh miniature environment. You must rememberthis is a gradual process, and find a new plant to put in the shade of theother one. Now your choices are a little more open. You don’t have to gowith a rugged plant like the one you did before; you can now choose aplant that survives in cooler weather.

If the plant you are trying to grow next requires more moisture in the airthan your area provides, installing a fountain or small pond can fix thisproblem due to the evaporation. You may think you don’t want to wastewater on a pond or fountain, but it’s all going toward the betterment ofyour garden. It’s just like the watering process, only indirect. As anadded benefit, usually fountains are quite aesthetically attractive and agreat addition to your garden.

I can’t explain every stage of the process, because everyone’s goals andsetups are slightly different. But to reach your goal, you should doresearch on every plant that you would like to have in your garden. Findout everything you can about the zone that it flourishes in, and askyourself how you can emulate that zone within your own backyard. Almostalways you can take control of the environment and recreate whatever youwish. Usually all it takes is some planning and strategy.

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