Watering Lessons from a Dry Summer

Lauren Samuelsson, University of Wollongong

Header image: A researcher in a spacesuit on “Mars” outside the Mars Society Desert Research Station in Utah. David Howells/Corbis Historical via Getty Images

What kind of traveller are you? Do you prefer to lie in a hammock slung between two palm trees, reading the latest blockbuster novel? Or would I find you soaking up the local culture along with the sun? I’m more of the latter, and it helps to know a smattering of the local language if you go off the beaten track!

Lori Waters from Magnitude.io joins Emma the Space Gardener to talk about the Exolab experiments that have sent intrepid leguminauts into space, the student researchers involved in the ground control experiments, and her experiences as an analog astronaut.

August is many ways a time of reckoning in the garden, an impossible-to-avoid visual record of seeds sown or not sown, of plants that are flourishing and others that are lost or languishing. For the very same reason, it’s also a great time of year to take careful note of what’s failed, what’s succeeded, and the many reasons why. But just don’t rely on memory alone. Instead if you set aside an hour or two this month to jot it all down in a garden notebook, you’ll be forever grateful that you did.

Around here we’re not fans of the f-word. No, not that f-word. We’re talking about FALL. In our minds that cooler weather is still a long way off, so we’ve decided to celebrate the dog days of summer by talking about plants that really put on a show in August. When much of the garden is looking tired and bedraggled, these plants add a colorful punch to the scene. Some unexpected perennials and shrubs dominate our lists and for those who have been demanding it—Peter is back with his take on the end of summer. In true Peter fashion though, he’ll be discussing ice cream and…the solar system? Well, his segment will be entertaining, that’s for sure.

David Tsay

Peter Estersohn

No food signifies summer more than watermelon. We’re so sweet on the hot pink (or yellow) fruit that we designed an entire watermelon bar party showcasing the many ways to snack on, sip, and even centerpiece-ify the hydrating produce item.

Propagating wandering jew plants is very easy and makes a cost-effective way to expand your collection.

Great Runner Beans need plenty of water retentative and nutrient rich soil. That is why preparation is important but here are some more tips to rescue this years crop.

A late start to the gardening season may not deterred insects. Bees and hoverflies are spoilt for choice of nectar rich flowers in the summer months