{"id":1751,"date":"2023-05-25T13:07:53","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T19:07:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/?p=1751"},"modified":"2023-05-25T13:07:53","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T19:07:53","slug":"get-to-know-microclimates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/?p=1751","title":{"rendered":"Get to Know Microclimates!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"http:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/microclimates.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"250\" src=\"http:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/microclimates.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1758\" srcset=\"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/microclimates.png 900w, https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/microclimates-300x83.png 300w, https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/microclimates-768x213.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>What are Microclimates?<\/strong><br>Knowing the importance of microclimates is essential for a garden that thrives at a high altitude. What are they? A microclimate is a small, but distinctly different climate within a larger area. These small areas may be a little warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier depending entirely on their location. Becoming aware of these small climate pockets helps mountain gardeners to choose and site plants more wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Looking for warmer microclimates<\/strong><br>Gardens on south-facing slopes are warmer and drier than gardens on north-facing slopes of the same valley at the same elevation! So a garden planted in full sun on a southern-exposed slope will have a longer, warmer growing season than other exposures.  Southern exposures are a great place for plants that need more heat to come into flower before early autumn frosts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Things like structures, fences, large rocks, walls, and trees can all act to provide protective screening from harsh winds. Their thermal mass can raise nearby temperatures and create a warmer microclimate in those areas.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Becoming aware of cooler microclimates<\/strong><br>Plant growth is slowed by cool soil temperatures, which drive plant metabolism. When soil temps drop below 55 degrees, plants stop growing.\u00a0North-facing areas and low spots on your property will naturally be cooler. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look for any small dips and indentations on your property, which can create collections points for cold air. As a result, frost pockets may be more likely to form in those spots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Walk through your property carefully looking for these microclimates. This will help you place your plants and shrubs where they will have a better chance at succeeding, and your mountain garden will thrive!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Sources: <a href=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/topic-areas\/yard-garden\/colorado-mountain-gardening-basics-7-224\/\">https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/topic-areas\/yard-garden\/colorado-mountain-gardening-basics-7-224\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are Microclimates?Knowing the importance of microclimates is essential for a garden that thrives at a high altitude. What are they? A microclimate is a small, but distinctly different climate within a larger area. These small areas may be a little warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier depending entirely on their location. Becoming aware of these &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/?p=1751\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Get to Know Microclimates!<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1751"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1751\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1771,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1751\/revisions\/1771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}