Page 26 - Landscape-Issue128
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WATER WISE
















         Using Kikuyu the Water Wise way





        Lawn and other turf grasses are often seen as high water  Water wise watering for kikuyu
        users, especially in the spring and summer seasons before  •  Avoid watering kikuyu when it is dormant.
        the rainy  season has started. But,  can lawn be used in  •  Wait  for the rains  to start before awakening  your
        a water wise way? Water Wise explains the wise use of    kikuyu from its dormant state.
        water with kikuyu.                                    •  Newly installed kikuyu will require more water during
                                                                 its settling or establishment period.
        Kikuyu                                                •  In summer, water the grass in the evening when there
        Pennisetum clandestinum, commonly known as kikuyu, is    is less evaporation.
        the most widely used lawn grass in South Africa. It is native  •  Use a trigger nozzle if watering kikuyu with a hose.
        to east Africa and has an aggressive growth form, which  •  Educate your corporates and other clients why you
        means it can become invasive and take over indigenous    are implementing those changes.
        grasses. Kikuyu is drought tolerant, inexpensive, and easy
        to maintain because it can grow in areas  where  most  Advantages of kikuyu
        grasses cannot. However, it is sometimes considered the  •  Fast growing.
        highest user of water in comparison to other commonly  •  Grows in full sun and in most soils.
        used turf grasses.                                    •  High-traffic resistant and persistent growth form.
                                                              •  Survives long dry periods and is drought tolerant.
        Kikuyu is mostly used as an instant lawn for sports fields,  •  Better  frost  tolerance  than  some  warm  season
        golf course construction, and rehabilitation. It has a mat   grasses.
        root and a herbaceous growth habit. It doesn’t grow well  •  Very  effective  for  erosion  control  in  ornamental
        in shaded areas.                                         landscapes.
                                                              •  Rapid summer growth rate with high yield potential.
        Dormancy in lawn                                      •  Very competitive; suppresses weeds.
        Dormancy refers to a period where growth of the grass
        temporarily  slows  down,  and  grass  goes  into  a  resting  Disadvantages of kikuyu
        state for one season. Kikuyu always goes dormant during  •  Requires regular mowing.
        winter, where the grass will turn brown. However, brown  •  High evapotranspiration rate.
        kikuyu grass does not mean it is dead; it has simply gone  •  Can become invasive and difficult to control.
        dormant.
                                                              There are many other simple ways you can save water.
        Dormant kikuyu does not need to be watered. Lawn in  Visit the Water Wise website by going to the Rand Water
        a  state  of  dormancy  is  simply  ‘resting’  and  conserving  website and clicking on the Water Wise
        energy for the new growing season. Dormancy is a natural  logo for more information.
        way for lawn to conserve moisture and nutrients in cold
        and dry seasons.                                      Always be Water Wise!









        www.randwater.co.za and click on the Water Wise logo
        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON WATER WISE, PLEASE CONTACT US ON: 0860 10 10 60
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