Pool and Garden


Every private swimming pool that can hold more than 30cm of water should be surrounded by a kid-proof fence, but should also be fitted with a safety net or a safety cover to prevent children drowning. Such a net or cover cannot be DIY installed but must be fitted by an “accredited responsible party”, according to the bureau.
SHIPPING CONTAINERS INTO SWIMMING POOLS!
There’s a new trend around the globe … converting shipping containers into swimming pools!
According to the guys from Big Box Containers (www.bigboxcontainers.co.za), instead of a prefabricated fibreglass pool or a concrete pool, shipping containers can be used as a shell for your pool, either by digging the container into the ground or simply placing it in your garden on top of the ground.
The container will need to be sealed and waterproofed to handle the amount of water it will hold. The corners and seams also need to be welded to strengthen the container, otherwise it won’t handle the outward pressure of holding the water, especially if it’s above ground.
Pros: Containers are robust and long-lasting
• The shape and size make for great lap pools • They can be above or below ground • They can be moved
Cons: You’re limited as to the size of the container
• Containers are deep • They’re not necessarily cheaper • They can be tricky to transport
THREE TIPS FOR A SPARKLING CLEAN POOL

“Like most things in life, prevention is better than cure. This is especially true if we’re talking swimming pools,” said Mervyn Trollip from Ridd’s Aqua Centre on the West Rand.
He gave us the three pillars of pool care:
1. pH is king! – Swimming-pool chemicals are designed to be most effective at a pH of 7,2 – this also happens to be the level at which bathers are most comfortable. Irrespective of what type of pool you have, it is necessary to test the pool’s pH levels regularly to ensure a clean, clear and sparkling pool with water that’s safe to swim in.
2. Filtration – Your filter and pump make up the heart of your pool – replace the filter sand every two to three years, allow your pump to run at least eight hours a day, and backwash your filter every 10 days.
3. Sanitisation – Chlorine is used to prevent organic materials from contaminating your pool. Chlorine has a short useful lifespan; it is, therefore, necessary to add chlorine regularly. We recommend adding it in the evening.
If you do not have the time to do this, you can use a floater or install a saltwater chlorinator.
At Ridd’s Aqua Centre, the team is always ready to help you with any pool solution you could possibly need. Details: Contact them on 011 763 1130 or visit www.riddsaqua.co.za.

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY LAWN
Garden guru Tanya Visser shares these good tips with us
1. Don’t scalp it – Cutting your lawn too short (scalping) makes it vulnerable to diseases and weed infestation.
2. Keep the blades sharp – Sharp lawn mower blades cut grass cleanly, while blunt blades tear it unevenly.
Torn grass is susceptible to infection by diseases, and can also die back after a cut.
3. Adjust the mower height – In the height of summer, adjust the mower to let the grass grow longer – this gives the soil more shade, slowing down evaporation.
4. Don’t mow wet grass – Wet grass can quickly clog and damage your mower, even if it isn’t bad for the actual lawn. Wet soil, though, can lead to ruts in the lawn.
5. Alternate the mowing direction – This prevents the soil from being compacted and ruts forming. Compacted soil can lead to disease outbreaks and weed growth.
6. Don’t mow in the heat of the day – Cutting the lawn stresses out each of those thousands of little plants. Reduce the stress by mowing when it is cool, so that the plants lose less water and can recover quickly.
7. Don’t remove the clippings – Grass clippings add nutrients back into the lawn, so you don’t need as much fertiliser. If you want your lawn to be neater, remove the clippings but throw them on your compost

heap to be used later.
8. Be careful on slopes – Mowing on slopes is where most mowing accidents occur. Reduce these by using an automated mower. Alternatively, replace the lawn on slopes with a low-maintenance groundcover.
9. Mow a little, often – Cut off a maximum of a third of the length of the grass, but try to keep it less than that. This will give it the best chance to recover quickly.

ROSE CARE
It’s not hard to see why October is ‘Rose month’ as you enjoy your roses in all their glory.
• Water deeply at least once a week – for roses to flourish it’s best to water them twice weekly giving them 15mm of water each time. Roses that were fertilised in mid-September should be fertilised again in mid-October, or early in October if September was skipped. This encourages root activity and new leaves and flowering stems to sprout. Only use the recommended amount of granular rose fertiliser.
• To prevent aphids, bollworm, thrips, powdery mildew and black spot, spray fortnightly with the correct organic spray.
• For quality blooms, debud your hybrid tea roses by removing side buds out of the leaf axils beneath the terminal bud. Remove spent blooms. Not only will your rose bed look tidier – this also encourages the production of new quality stems. If you’d like long-stemmed blooms for the house, don’t cut more than half of them on a bush.

PLANTS THAT BEES ABSOLUTELY LOVE
• Calendula • Primulas • Borage
• Bee balm • Vygies • Sweet thorn • Karee • Bush willows
• Weeping wattle • Fuschias
• Geraniums • Rosemary • Linaria
• Blanket flowers • Sage • Scabiosa species • Sunflowers • Thyme • Cosmos • Blombos • September bush • Cape May • White alyssum • Lavender • Fruit tree blossoms • Agapanthus • Anisodonteas (Mallows) • Butterfly bushes • Bottlebrush

Grow any variation of vegetables, fruit, nuts or even herbs and spices with this great guide from the West Rand’s very own garden master, JJ van Rensburg. Grow your own by JJ & Tinus Oberholzer is a comprehensive guide providing practical guidelines that will teach you how to fully utilise your garden (large or small) using alternative as well as traditional growing methods. R350 from Garden World Nursery, 011 957 2047. Also available in Afrikaans as Kweek dit self.