Five tips for water-wise gardening in Spring

Use these methods to look after your garden and save water.

September 3, 2015

Elana Geist 1 minute read

Go for pebbles, add some bulbine for yellow flowers and mix the blues of senecio mandraliscae with other succulents to give your water wise garden some variety and colour.

Arthur Cowan from Tongaat Plants in Ballito said most of the “to-dos” for this time of the year need water, whether it is fertilising, topdressing or just general planting.

“Thanks to the drought, we all have to view and do things differently,” said Cowan.

Here he gives five tips to stay water-wise during spring:

1. Mulch is very important and super absorbents should be used wherever possible. Pack raked leaves or clippings around the plants to lower evaporation from the soil, keeping it moist. “Try avoid turning over of soil unnecessarily.”

2. Drought tolerant plants should get your vote. Plants like aloes, crassula, senecio, bougainvillea or indian hawthorn work well.

3. Rainwater harvesting is great, but if there is no rain, grey water works perfectly for gardens. Cowan said he noticed that cabbage and kale in veggie gardens are thriving on bathroom water. “These veggies are normally the first to get chomped by the goggas, but the soapy layer in the water acts as an emulsion and blocks the breathing apparatus of offending insects such as aphids.”

4. Do away with lawns. “You do not need huge green lawns, rather replace them with gravel or hardy ground covers or install paving and decking.”

5. Water wiser. Cowan said despite the ongoing drought, many plants have regained their turgidity surprisingly quickly. This shows that we have been spoiling our plants with too much water. “Its time to change our ways, even when the rains do return. Rather irrigate smaller amounts frequently, preferably using grey or recycled water as much as possible.”