We often take water for granted; turning on the tap and expecting the water to flow into the basin without any thought. However, this perception is slowly changing.
Aloes and succulents are great low water usage plants for full sun areas.South Africa is a water scarce country so every drop needs to be managed correctly in order to secure our water supply.
Darryl Richardson, from Richardson landscaping and design, says the first step is to save water at home.
He says the two main water usage zones in the home are for household and gardening.
Darryl shares tips…
Household water-saving tips
1. Ensure there are no dripping taps on the property.
To do this, close all taps and valves. Switch of all water using machines such as the washing machine and dishwasher. Once everything is off, take a reading from your water meter. Wait 2 hours and take the reading again. If the readings differ, there is a leak. Call your plumber to help with leak detection.
2. Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow taps.
3. Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush.
4. Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for full loads only.
5. To check your toilets for leaks, add food colouring to the toilet tank. Without flushing, wait 30 minutes. If the water in the bowl changes colour, the toilet is leaking. Fortunately, most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.
Be water-wise in the garden
South Africa has a wonderful climate for the outdoor lifestyle and properties with beautiful outdoor spaces.
You can still create an amazing garden that adds value and softens the look of your home by adjusting your designs and turning to water-wise principles.
You can make use of bark chip mulch which can be bought and added as a decorative element.Go indigenous
There are an abundance of indigenous plants that are both drought resistant and low-maintenance.
Your design should involve different zones, keeping the high water usage plants to a minimum and in a certain zone of the garden.
Aloes and succulents are great low water usage plants for full sun areas. A few succulents that are great for a water-wise garden include aloe marlothii, aloe ferox, lampranthus mix (vygies), aloe cooperi, aloe vanbalenii, othhona carnosa, euphorbia tirucalli, crassula multicava and plectranthus neochilus.
For Cape gardens, there are wonderful fynbos plant species that cope well with the drought and Cape weather conditions like proteas, erica caffra, leucospermum succession, felicia amelloides and helichrysum petiolare.
Add mulch
One of the best tips to help your garden during a drought is to apply mulch to the beds.
The best thing about leaf mulch is that it’s free. It’s great for the soil and helps retain moisture as well as keeps the weeds at bay.
Make sure the irrigation system is off on windy days as the wind will blow the water away from the beds and lawn, wasting water. It’s also important that you water for longer periods, less often. This is vital to encourage deep rooot growth which will help the plants during droughts.To create your own leaf mulch, rake up fallen leaves and spread them in thin layers over the soil. Once they begin to decay, add more leaves.
Alternatively, you can make use of bark chip mulch which can be bought and added as a decorative element. Other types of mulch include pebbles, nutshells, gravel, compost in thin layers and wood chips.
Irrigation
Irrigation systems allow you to accurately water your garden, plus you can track the amount of water you use by installing a water meter.
Having the system checked by an irrigation professional for leaks and dry spots will also help water savings.
Having the lawn and beds in separate zones can also help save water.
Water the lawn less. Let it go dormant during the dry season and green during the rainy season.
Make sure the system is off on windy days as the wind will blow the water away from the beds and lawn, wasting water. It’s also important that you water for longer periods, less often. This is vital to encourage deep route growth which will help the plants during droughts.
Make sure your irrigation system doesn’t spray onto paved areas where possible, and, except in frost prone areas, only water the garden early in the morning before the temperatures rise. Rather water after the sun has come out in frost prone areas.
To save water, change your swimming pool into a wetland pool which can be used to water the garden during periods of drought.Storage tank
A great idea is to have a large water storage tank connected to your house gutters. You’ll also need a booster pump to operate the irrigation system.
You could also have your greywater connected and filtered in to the irrigation system. This is the best way to minimise the municipal water usage.
When using greywater in the garden, try to avoid using water with harsh chemicals in it. You also want to opt for biodegradable soaps, which will be better for the environment.
The best bet is to catch as much rainwater as possible to use to water the garden.
Additional water conservation tips
1. Other things you can do to help your plants during the drought is to make sure there are no weeds sucking water away from them.
2. You also want to avoid using fertiliser because it encourages growth and the need for more water.
3. Deadheading flowers will also help with energy conservation. Flowers need water to produce seeds so deadheading them will help refocus energy into survival.
4. To save water, change your swimming pool into a wetland pool which can be used to water the garden during periods of drought.
5. Keep a bowl in the kitchen sink to catch water from general use. Once the bowl is full, use it to water pot plants and beds close to the house. It’s not a good idea to use the water from dish washing if it contains a lot of grease and oils which are not great for the soil.
Homeowners who love plants can keep gardening and watering their gardens during droughts. All they have to do is shift the way they do this.
Creating a garden design is a great step towards creating a water-wise garden that is easier to keep looking good during the drought.
Making use of a professional garden designer is the best bet to cut out costly mistakes. Enjoy every step of your gardening journey.
Article courtesy of www.rlandscaping.co.za.
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