Page 37 - Silver Lakes_Issue 10_2022

GARDENING

BE WATER-WISE
BE W
TER-WISE
A

By Elize Malan

hanging weather patterns are kikuyu in Gauteng to turn brown in winter Flooding
exposing us to extreme rainfall, and irrigating once a month will keep the This cannot always be prevented, and
Cdrought, heat and cold. Add to this roots alive. gardens in floodplains or steep-sided
an unreliable municipal water supply, gardens can encounter problems.
and gardening without proper planning Do not irrigate a few minutes every day;
becomes a real gamble. rather drench the soil when watering to allow Again, think big when finding a solution.
for deep root development. The top 5cm Trenches or flood barriers should be well-
The design of the garden is important, but should be dry before adding water again. This designed and be part of a garden. A bog
we also need a water management plan. will make plants drought resilient. garden during dry months will turn into a
The plan will include issues like how to permeable dam during heavy rains.
reduce water usage, maximise rainwater A well-established garden does not need
capture, and prevent flooding. regular watering. Over-watering often results Plants often bind soil together with their
in soft growth that’s prone to pests and root systems, which means they are able
Remember that municipal water is diseases. to serve as a protective layer that can help
primarily for household use. But in our prevent soil erosion. It’s advisable to keep
country, where many households do not When planning the garden, remember that plant roots in the soil as they will anchor and
have clean running water available, garden plants with the same water requirements support the plant, store food and benefit
plants are last on the list of priorities. should be grouped together. Do not plant soil fertility, as well as prevent erosion. Even
Using municipal water to irrigate a garden dry climate species interspersed with water- soil with weeds will be better than bare soil
should be done with care. loving plants. during a flood.

Groundwater abstraction (borehole) has Rainwater capture IRRIGATION GUIDE FOR THE
been over-utilised in the past, resulting in Rainwater tanks are not always an attractive HIGHVELD
strict regulations regarding the installation option, especially if they’re added after Consult the table below to find out how
of new boreholes. It is not sustainable as developing the building site. Plan the position much irrigation is necessary per week for
it may result in declining groundwater properly beforehand. Go big and, if possible, your soil type. Use a rain gauge or a can
levels, increasing costs, degradation of go underground. Note: one irrigation cycle placed under your sprinkler to measure
wetlands, erosion, etc. can require 5 000 to 10 000 litres for a your current application. Remember to
medium to large garden, so you can empty account for rain when following the table
Thus, we need to improve our use of a full tank in one watering cycle. That’s shown below.
available options to supply our garden something to think about!
plants with sufficient water. References
Rainfall events seem to be occurring less https://data.catchmentbasedapproach.org/
Reduce water usage often, and when they do occur, they’re more https://plantnetwork.org/wordpress/wp-content/
https://www.theindigenousgardener.co.za/
This is not difficult to achieve. Nature extreme. Use permeable paving as it does www.randwater.co.za
is supplying the basics and we can learn not seal the soil and it generates less surface Tel: 012 804 1807
from it. run-off. Fax: 012 804 0278
Web: www.garden-group.co.za
Deciduous plants use very little water Newly planted gardens need to be watered Email: admin@garden-group.co.za
when leaves are absent. regularly to establish the plants. Where
possible, capture rainwater in basins around
Grasses in general, including lawns, prefer plants. Create swales to allow for slow
summer temperatures for active growth drainage, use mulches and green manures
and have a natural resting phase in winter to improve soil structure, and reduce soil
when temperatures drop. It is normal for erosion in open soil areas.

Soil type Application rate (mm/hr) Applications per week mm/week winter mm/week spring mm/week summer mm/week autumn
Sand 13 - 25 4 4 7 8 5
Clay 1 - 6 2 8 14 15 10
Loam 6 - 15 3 5 9 10 6

INTRAMUROS NOVEMBER 2022 | 35