Select the appropriate plants for the microclimate of the site.

• If we are to develop a garden or farm that requires no adding of water or nutrients, then assessing the microclimate is vital.

• Although the climate of a region may be categorised as temperate or tropical there will be many microclimates within that region that will influence the plant communities that naturally grow there.

• The following factors influence a microclimate and, therefore, the plant types that need to be selected for a particular site:

Aspect

The direction in which a slope faces can dramatically influence the amount of moisture retained within the soil.

Slope

The degree of slope and the position on the slope will influence moisture content.

Wind Exposure

Wind has a drying effect on soil, increasing evaporation and transpiration.

Proximity to large water bodies

The salt spray from oceans, and high humidity from evaporation from large water bodies and associated wetland areas, will affect plant selection on specific sites.

Soil

The condition of the soil directly corresponds to the microclimate and geographical conditions of a site, which need to be looked at closely when determining plant suitability. Soil fertility is determined by available moisture and organic content, not the ratio of sand, silt and clay particles.

Another factor to take into account is the rate of deposition compared with the rate of erosion on a particular site. Soil accumulates lower down the slope creating rich, deep, moist soils, while on the ridges and high slopes, erosion is greater than deposition so soils become shallow, sandy, rocky, and dry.