A quick note to alert you that this spell of warm weather may bring unseasonably hot weather to some gardens over the weekend, especially inland, away from the cooling influence of water bodies. Forecast highs of 27-28oC [though this is forecast for inland Lower Mainland, some gardens at higher elevation, on forested areas on SSI, like mine is, will likely experiences these highs] wouldn’t be a problem for mature vegetables in July, but could be fatal to germinating seeds and newly transplanted seedlings if they aren’t shaded. Opaque shade materials, such as burlap, white plastic, newspaper can be used to shade seedbeds until germination. But check every day and remove the cover at the first sign of tiny green shoots. If the weather is still very warm when you uncover the bed, replace the opaque cover with shade cloth that lets in 50% of light. Or shade the seedlings with turned over seedling flats (the black plastic latticework ones) or any other structures or screens that cut direct sun by about half. Sprinkle fine mulch, such as lawn clippings or crushed leaves from the remnants of winter mulch, over the soil to cool it. The roots of tiny seedlings are close to the surface and quickly fry on a hot day.

Be extra vigilant about watering transplanted seedlings and seeds beds now, especially, for slow germinating crops, such as carrots. The soil in many gardens is really dry, but since this is much earlier than usual, you may not have thought yet about irrigating (and it isn’t just seedlings—I was surprised at how dry the soil is already in my strawberry beds!). I have already started mulching around leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. to cut down on watering required. With a possibly long, hot, dry summer stretching out before us, water conservation starting now is a high priority. If you live where your water supply relies on summer melt from mountain snow packs, your municipality may already have kicked in early water restrictions because of concern over the low snow pack this year. So, get started on mulching now in case we have already seen the last of significant spring rainfall.

While you are in the process of planting this year’s garden, you might want to adjust your plans in light of the high likelihood of a ‘super’ El Nino starting over the summer—which for this region usually bring a long, hot or hotter, and dry or very dry, summer. I have cut back on container plantings (they take so much more water than in-ground plants), plan to plant pole beans along beds to provide shade to other crops and am reconsidering how much space to devote to summer peas, since they are so hard to keep alive in truly hot weather (maybe this will be the best year for melons!)