Basics of garden watering.

Water is, not for no reason, very important to all earthly life. A human body can survive several weeks without food but only a couple of days without water. Water plays an important part in the transportation of minerals and elements in plants. For this reason, and other reasons as well, water is very important for plant growth.

I would like to share some basics with you regarding plant watering, to have as result, not only a healthier and better looking garden, but also to use water wisely:

• On average garden plants need at least 25mm water per week and lawn 10 - 15mm per week. This is depending on the ruling climate circumstances, season of the year, wet weather or hot spells.


• It is generally better to give more water at a time, than giving little water every day. In a worst case scenario it will be better to give lots of water every 10 days, rather than to split it into halve every 5 days. (This is not applicable for recently added plants, transplanted and divided plants, annuals or water loving plants.)


• Little and very regular watering leads to shallow root development, which leads to plants that are more vulnerable to heat and diseases, smaller and weaker plants and also more water loss due to evaporation. More water (quantity) at a time has a deeper soil penetration and better plant growth as a result (quality).


• Big trees and big shrubs drink water by the gallons. Such areas do not only need more water but also more water more regularly. (The smaller plants, lawn included, will lose the battle against the giants!)


• How many times do we look at the lawn and think the garden is wet enough? Big mistake!The minimum watering guideline for general gardens is to water lawn once a week and plants twice a week.


• It is better to water early mornings during the summer months, not in the afternoon or the evenings, and rather mid morning to mid afternoon during the cold winter months.


• Reduce summer watering with approximately one third for spring (or more in very cold areas), spring watering with another third for the winter and go back to the summer programme at the start of spring again. Plants do need some water in the winter, they are not totally dormant. (Excluding some bulbs and perennials)
  

Please feel free to send me any questions or advice needed regarding gardening and landscapingand I shall gladly reply to it.

Garden GP

Autumn and winter gardening

When is the best time for gardening on the
highveld? Normally people wait for spring to
arrive, but this is already too late.

In my experience autumn is the best time to do
garden development and general gardening. This
does not say that autumn is the only time to do
gardening, definately not, but it is far more
benificial than waiting for spring, which can be up
to 3 months, too late.

Specific autumn and winter garden tasks are:

• Planting of new and hardy trees, shrubs an plants.
• Adding mulch and a slow release fertiliser.
• Removing of low hanging tree branches.
• Pruning back of summer and atumn flowering plants.
• Hard landscaping work.
• Transplanting, dividing and multiplication of plants.
• Aeration of soil.

Plants are not totally dormant during winter time. There is some plant root development during this period and more active water and food transportation in the plant, is already starting from the middle of July. Therefore don't neglect watering during the winter months, only reduce the amount of water.