SILVERSEEDS wrote:
Remembered another one, im not sure was covered....
"dust" mulching. this is a tactic of real dry areas. because of how water evaporates, if the surface of the soil is wet, it will happen faster then if after it rains you put down layer of dust if rains not expected. this might not be worthwhile in the middle of monsoon season for instance. Or maybe it is...
But Ive found it rather effective in my trials. surprisingly so actually.
There's a hand tool call a roller scraper that you walk behind like a lawnmower. It looks very much like a push mower actually except that it has a horizontal blade on the bottom that is below the rolling portion so as you move it, it slices off the top vegetation, kills the capillary column which then stops the perspiring of the moisture from the land. Use this tool and you don't need to bring dust and lay on top, instead, just create it instantly!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaqIs-6Ay24