Plant Gardens 101

Harvesting Rainwater to drought proof your garden seems like a contradiction in terms as it implies the use of water to save water. After all the reason that you drought proof your garden in the first place is to decrease your water usage so using water to save water in some respects may not seem to make sense. Having said that though, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I use water to save water and in particular I use rainwater. One of the things that I’ve noticed in the hotter months is that hot winds can dry out your garden a lot quicker than the sun just on its own. The way I’ve gone about solving this problem in my garden is to grow a hedge as a windbreak along the northern (for the southern hemisphere) boundary of my backyard. The first important thing to consider in doing this is to select the correct plants to start off with. I’ve used Callistemon Salignus, aka the Willow Bottlebrush and here are the reasons why. Firstly it will not grow too large if you restrict the amount of water you give it after it’s achieved the desired height to block the wind. That way it won’t become a problem in a small suburban garden. Secondly it is also fairly drought tolerant. Last summer my hedge of Callistemon Salignus withstood some fairly strong, hot, drying winds without any extra water so it’s an ideal tree to use as a windbreak. Thirdly and most importantly they can withstand water logging. This means that during winter and spring when you may have excess water in your rainwater tank you can direct it straight to your hedge of Callistemon Salignus. I direct rainwater from the overflow of my rainwater tank straight to my hedge so when my tank is full the excess rainwater doesn’t go down into the stormwater, but into the soil where it is stored for when the trees need it during spring and summer. This means that the trees get rainwater from the sky and the overflow from my rainwater tank at the same time. This fits with what most gardeners know. Less frequent deep watering is much better that more frequent shallow watering. Another great feature about Callistemon Salignus is that it is reasonably quick growing and also very hardy. Both of these qualities are very important when growing a hedge. How many times have you seen hedges that have been grown with plants that look great but aren’t necessarily very hardy. Quite often these types of hedges always seem to have one or two plants in them that have died. It really can detract from your hedge. Also most hedges are normally grown for a reason such as privacy or as in this case a windbreak. Therefore, being able to grow fast and establish quickly is a definite requirement. Callistemon Salignus will certainly grow fast but what I’ve discovered is that if you give them lots of water not only during winter and spring but also during summer, when rainwater is scarcer, they will grow even faster. This means that the more I use my stored rainwater to increase the growth of my windbreak then the faster it will protect the rest of my garden from hot drying winds during summer. Once your drought tolerant windbreak is then established and at a height where it is shielding those hot summer winds you can then back off on the watering and start saving on water in other parts of your garden such as a lawn. So there you have it, the use of water when used correctly can save you water in the garden in the long run and of course there is no better water to use than rainwater. So for me there is no better way than harvesting rainwater, so I can drought proof my garden.

I’ve been harvesting rainwater for my garden for the last three years and as a consequence have become quite adept in the process of rainwater harvesting.

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Unless it is the middle of summer and there has not been enough rain, watering your outdoor plants is usually not necessary (or not very often). But indoor plants rely on you as a source of water and extra nutrients in the form of fertilizer. It is important to know the individual water and nutrient needs of each plant to keep them healthy.
As mentioned, individual plants will require different amounts of water to keep them growing optimally. But what all plants do like is moist soil. If you are worried about over-watering your plant, make sure that the pot you choose has a good drainage system. With holes in the bottom of the pot or gravel inside the pot the soil and plant will soak up the necessary water and the excess will run out through the bottom. (more…)

In some parts of the world there is still a certain amount of skepticism about the merits of harvesting rainwater and if it is in fact beneficial to the environment. This may possibly be because harvesting rainwater in rainwater tanks is still a new concept, especially in some modern urban areas where householders are very used to just turning on the tap to water their garden or fill their swimming pools. I remember when growing up, rainwater tanks, water issues and drought were very rarely talked about. We had all the water we needed. I remember we’d use water for hosing down concrete paths and driveways. We’d pour as much water as we’d liked onto our lawns over summer and as kids we’d spray each other with the garden hose for hours. And of course all of this water came from our local water storages. These water storages were always full of water, as every winter it rained and filled them up. Then during the summer we’d do our best to try and empty them again but the levels never really seemed to get low. These days though it’s a different story. South Eastern Australia has now been in drought since 1997. As a consequence most of the water storages, lakes, dams and reservoirs are now perilously low. This winter in 2009 we have received average rainfall which is the first time since 2000. Unfortunately all this has done is slow the decline of Melbourne’s water storages which are now at an all time low of 29%. To fill these water storages with water is going to take a lot of rain over many years. Unfortunately for South Eastern Australia, this upcoming summer is tipped to be hotter than normal. The likelihood of bushfires of the scale of Black Saturday, during February this year, are high. Low rainfall is also forecast so the chance of ever getting enough rain to fill our storages seems low. Unfortunately though, Australia is not alone. (more…)

If you live in a dessert identity or in a district that regularly experiences seasons of famine or really dry period during the year then it is fully prone that you would be best served by considering a summer patch that requires a little excluding water than the median summer patch by avoiding the luxurious greens and big ‘drinking’ plants that many people choose to keep in their gardens behind plants that consumer water more economically and employing water discount methods to raise the payment of water that is used in your summer plot.

There are numerous clothes you can do to indemnify that your summer plot water sociable and doesn’t over tax water systems that are often overburdened in attempts to keep them upmarket and green. One of the first, and most responsible stuff you can do size back your idea of what a summer patch should be. You do not ought a giant summer patch crammed with thriving leaves to make a good impression. In actuality, a responsible patch that conserves the average funds and highlights the birth conceal life is often a patch that is much more deserving of accolades than one that uses too many of the imperfect untreated capital that are free.

The support thing you should do think native instead than global when decision right plants for your low water summer plot. Dessert plants and flora are accustomed to the dessert climate and can continue with low amounts of water and show. If you must have some of the more luxurious greenery or a few more exotic plants in your summer backyard respect with them scarcely and supplementing your plot with community plants and flowers. (more…)

Rain barrels and rain barrel diverters are now becoming top selling gardening accessories as green gardeners look toward rainwater harvesting as a means to solve water issues in the garden. So the question needs to be asked, if you were to fit a rain barrel diverter to a downspout and direct rainwater into a rain barrel, how much rainwater do you really think you’re going to collect?

Well I have two 55 gallon rain barrels in my garden that are connected to one downspout that is serviced by about 250 square feet of roof area. As a consequence it only takes 0.7 inches of rainfall to fill both of those rain barrels. Now imagine if I only had one rain barrel attached to the downspout. It would then only require 0.35 inches of rainfall to fill the rain barrel. So if I was to get 1 inch of rain I could collect only 35% of that rainwater while 65% would be wasted and that’s of course assuming the rain barrel was empty to start off with. If I was to get more than 1 inch then even more would be wasted. (more…)

One of the most essential things that we do in the garden is watering. Most of the plants needs to be regularly watered. Especially when it’s hot and not raining. Giving plants enough amount of water has a huge impact on look of decorating plants and amount of fruits in the vegetable and fruit gardens. But let’s think how much water do we need to use for this purpose?

To water the grass in our garden we usually use 5 litres at meter square. When we water flowers, trees we use sometimes even 20 litres. And such usage will last from spring to autumn. If your garden has in example 300 metre square and you need in example 10 litres for one and we have 120 of watering days. If you count it you will get 360 000 litres of water. (more…)

If you’re looking for ways to keep your garden watered without wasting too much time and money, you’ve probably gone through a lot of options in your mind. Maybe you’ve considered a sprinkler, a hose, or a good old-fashioned watering can. All of these methods might be convenient, but most of the time you will end up wasting water on plants that don’t need any more. If you live in a drought stricken area like I do, you know that every bit of water counts. I ended up getting a drip irrigation system. I haven’t regretted this decision at all.

When you install a drip irrigation system, you can choose one of two varieties: above ground and below ground. The above ground version drips small amounts of water continuously onto the ground, and allows it to soak in. It is all regulated from a pressure controller, which ensures that the water just comes out at a drip instead of a spray or a stream. These pressure regulators are very inexpensive. The whole drip system can be set up with a pressure regulator and a garden hose with holes poked in it (although it is ideal for you to get a pipe designed for this type of use, I’ve found that the hose method works acceptably).

The underground system is a bit more of a pain to install and maintain. But if you’re really into the aesthetic aspect of your garden and don’t want any visible watering system, then you might consider it worth it. It’s essentially the same as the above ground version, only a small trench is dug for the hose or pipe prior to any planting. This allows the water direct access to the roots for the most watering efficiency. Plus, you can impress your neighbors by having a beautiful garden without ever going outside to water it! They’ll be baffled. (more…)

Greenhouses have become important tools in plant cultivation. They provide much needed growing rooms for places which are not very conducive for the development of certain plants. They allow the cultivation of plants in places which could grow these plants normally.

There are many factors which can affect the development of plants inside a greenhouse. The proper balance of air circulation, ventilation, humidity, shading and heating will provide the plants with an optimum environment.

Misting
Other factors will such as ventilation and shading, are important for prevention of overheating in the greenhouse. However, proper misting or the control of humidity is the main factor which maintains a comfortable environment for the cultivation of plants. Evaporation uses up heat when it turns water from liquid into a gas. When the venting process is done, much needed moisture is lost from the greenhouse because it escapes into the air. Misting is one of the ways to replace the lost moisture inside the greenhouse. (more…)

I was happily watering my garden yesterday when my wife asked me “How do you know when to water your garden?”

A simple question with a simple answer. I water them in the evening when the sun has gone down. A long discussion ensued as to why I watered my garden at this time of day and not in the morning and the reason was that for 30 years I have always done it at that time of the day. But there are very good reasons why, in most cases, this is the best time to water your plants.

Water is valuable

If you water your garden in the middle of the day a large amount of it will simply evaporate away without ever getting to the roots of the plants you are trying to grow. By watering at this time you are wasting it. To conserve water in your garden it is very beneficial to put mulch around your flowers and vegetables. The watering will go through the mulch but will not evaporate as fast. You will reduce the volume of water you need to use with this (more…)

Most gardeners know when their garden needs watering and are well aware of the effects of under watering their plants. Too few gardeners are aware of the dangers of over watering, however. Over watering is even worse and more damaging. The biggest reason for the death of a house plant is because it has been over watered.

Depending on the type of plant, the time of year, the temperature, your climate, the signs of an over watered plant are generally universal. The most common symptoms are defoliation where the lower leaves on the plant turn yellow and fall, wilting or drooping, spotted foliage, and gray fuzzy mould around the stem, leaves and flowers of the plant.

These symptoms can also be an indication of other problems rather than over watering. Sudden and fast defoliation could also be caused by rapid changes in temperature and possibly under watering. Gradual defoliation could be from insufficient light or fertilizer. Too much fertilizer or exposure to extreme cold could make the leaves fall. An easy way to determine whether you are over watering is by carefully observing how frequently you water your plants. Another way is to check the plant’s roots to see if they appear rotten. (more…)

Living in Colorado and being a gardener has been rather stressful in the past few years, as this state has been undergoing a rather severe drought. The city is imposing watering restrictions which are not giving enough water to lawns and plants. I’ve had to renovate my garden to make it more water efficient. Now, because of the techniques I’ve employed, I’m the only one in my neighborhood with a garden that isn’t completely brown. So if you live in an area that is going through a drought or if you just want to save water, I suggest you use some of these techniques as well.

First, I took out all my plants. The soil I was using didn’t retain water very well, so I had to water about twice as much as necessary in order to get it to actually absorb into the roots. If you have this same problem, you can fix it by loading the soil up with lots of compost. This not only prevents water from escaping, but encourages the plant’s roots to be healthy and able to survive more. (more…)

Unless you are a professional landscaper, or have plenty of experience tending to your own lawn and garden, knowing how best to care of plants can be difficult. For many individuals, gardening is a trial and error process, often ending with many dead plants. This is often due to over-watering plants. Actually, plants are more likely to be killed by watering them too much than too little. To the casual gardener, this can be a source of frustration. Here are a few simple tips and tricks for knowing when and how much to water plants.

When to Water
Watering plants should be easy, right? Just pour water into the soil on a regular basis and your plants should thrive. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as that. Watering plants every day, every two days or on any sort of regular basis can deprive some plants of the water that they need while drowning others in kindness. How do you know when you should water your plants? (more…)

If you’re looking for ways to keep your garden watered without wasting too much time and money, you’ve probably gone through a lot of options in your mind. Maybe you’ve considered a sprinkler, a hose, or a good old-fashioned watering can. All of these methods might be convenient, but most of the time you will end up wasting water on plants that don’t need any more. If you live in a drought stricken area like I do, you know that every bit of water counts. I ended up getting a drip irrigation system. I haven’t regretted this decision at all.

When you install a drip irrigation system, you can choose one of two varieties: above ground and below ground. The above ground version drips small amounts of water continuously onto the ground, and allows it to soak in. It is all regulated from a pressure controller, which ensures that the water just comes out at a drip instead of a spray or a stream. These pressure regulators are very inexpensive. The whole drip system can be set up with a pressure regulator and a garden hose with holes poked in it (although it is ideal for you to get a pipe designed for this type of use, I’ve found that the hose method works acceptably). (more…)

Okay, not all of us have the time to water every hanging plant, window box and every square foot of yard. Even if we did, it is easy to predict that most of us have had enough of watering once our hanging and potted plants have been tended. So, what are other viable options for our lawn, gardening areas, vegetable beds, and water features? Some are self-tending; all of them are efficient with little maintenance once installed.

Installed systems can reduce water consumption, especially handy in areas where water conservation is key. If you have a concern about the view of your garden with permanent irrigation devices showing, know that there are pop-up sprinklers which remain virtually hidden amidst your landscape to accommodate your needs. There are a number of different irrigation systems to choose from to ensure that your garden is kept sufficiently well-watered.

Drip systems can be installed below ground. They are extremely effective, releasing water directly to the root systems of the plants in your garden or even your greenhouse with no run-off or evaporation loss. As water is applied to the roots, not the leaves of your plants, drip systems reduce the possibilities of fungal and insect damage. They suit all soil, topography, and plant types, too. (more…)

I’m just about old enough to remember the long, hot British summer of ’76. It wasn’t the ferocious heat that stuck in my mind so much as the lack of water. The grass went brown, reservoirs dried up and some communities got their water from standpipes in the street.

This year the weather people are forecasting another hot, dry summer for the UK. While that doesn’t guarantee a heatwave of ’76 proportions, it makes sense to start thinking about ways of conserving water and creating a drought-tolerant garden.

The good news is that saving water in the garden is simple, painless and doesn’t require that much effort. There are three areas to focus on: the ground, the water, and your plants. (more…)

Why Choosing Helps

Like any job, the most efficient way to take care of a garden is with the right set of tools. This is why if you are planning on having a garden, you should first prepare yourself with the knowledge of what tools you need. If you already have a garden but it is not flourishing in the way you want it to, then you should re-evaluate the tools you use and how efficiently they can help you with your gardening tasks. The right tools for gardening will help you in many wonderful ways, but the wrong set of tools could spell the end for your garden. (more…)

There are certain things about the concept of rainwater harvesting that can sometimes be taken for granted, especially if you’ve been familiar with the process for a while. This was certainly the case for me while talking to a neighbour about rainwater tanks. One thing that I’d noticed over the last few years driving my car around Melbourne, Australia were the amount of houses that have Rainwater Tanks installed (and they’re just the one’s you can see from the street). Rainwater tanks really are popular these days. The other thing that I’ve noticed is that most of these rainwater tanks are only connected to one downpipe (downspout). I’d often wondered how much rainwater these tanks actually harvested and I got my answer while talking to my neighbour. I knew he’d installed a rainwater tank about a year previously so I asked him if he was happy with it and if it harvested much rainwater. He replied that he wasn’t, as we don’t get enough rain to fill it. I told him that he needed to connect more of his roof area to it. (more…)

The first lesson I learnt in rainwater harvesting was one that cost me dearly but as time went by it was one that I benefited from enormously. Rainwater harvesting or the harvesting of rainwater for my garden was a concept that I’d thought about for sometime before I actually went ahead and purchased my first rainwater tank. Looking back now though, I suppose I’m just like most people and didn’t really go ahead with it until I really had to….. During the spring of 2006 we’d just come through another dry winter in Melbourne, Australia. Despite this though, we weren’t under any water restrictions so I decided to go ahead and plant a new lawn in my backyard. I’d been holding off for the previous few years as we’d been in drought since 1997. So I went ahead and purchased some turf and before I knew it I had a new lawn complete which a sprinkler system and all the water I needed courtesy of my garden tap. Now all I had to do was turn on the tap, sit back, relax and just watch the grass grow. How sweet was that? Unfortunately for me about one week after my new lawn was installed my plans came to a very quick and sudden halt. Water restrictions were introduced. This now meant that I could no longer use my garden tap to water my new lawn. I’d just spent several hundred dollars on turf and a sprinkler system and had no water to keep it alive. I had to get some water from somewhere, and fast. (more…)

Lighting and watering your greenhouse are two of the most important factors in running it.

You will need a good soil for planting seeds. Compost, potting or gardening soil and a little sand or perlite are a good start. Read all directions in your seed packets.

Keep some of those black plastic flats that nurseries use to display their plant containers. These are useful for starting sees and transplants.

Benches in greenhouses are essential, as they hold trays of plants that have already sprouted from seeds.

Styrofoam cups – have several of these handy. Seeds sprout quickly and once they grow large enough to move into separate containers, they can be gently lifted and transferred into ordinary Styrofoam cups.

You can also use yogurt plastic cups, and large commercial type containers that can hold more than one plant. In fact, any container you can think of will be suitable.

Other materials you should have on hand are broken clay pots, cracked walnuts, marbles, charcoal or gravel. These help in proper drainage. Be sure to soak clay pots in water a few minutes before using them. This will prevent the clay from absorbing the moisture from the potting soil.

If you want to have trellises inside your greenhouse, you can make them out of coat hangers, which you can bend to any shape your heart desires.

Herbs are perfect for keeping pests at bay. They are what one writer calls “nature’s insecticides”. Have a variety of them inside your greenhouse. You can make a natural insecticide by adding onions or garlic to a jar of water. Leave it for a week and spray on your plants.

Other garden tools that will help you run your greenhouse efficiently are air coolers for the hot summer. This is to maintain the temperatures at desired levels. Power vents in the roof are also a good idea to release hot air that can build up suddenly in the summer.

In the winter, a good heater would be nice to warm the greenhouse. Other accessories you need are a humidifier, a CO2 generator, and a mister.

Greenhouse lighting system.
A type of light called high intensity discharge lighting (HID) used to be employed by commercial growers in large greenhouses. However, the idea of artificial lighting to stimulate plant growth became increasingly popular.

H.I.D. lighting not only adds to natural sunlight, but can actually serve as a substitute during long winters when natural sunlight is in scant supply. They are energy efficient and operational costs are low. Here are just a few of the benefits of HID lighting:

Increases the health and strength of plants, and stimulates growth and yield rates,

Supplements natural sunlight; by using HID lighting, you also extend “day length”,

Enables container outdoor plants on decks and patios during the summer to be moved indoors during the winter,

Are definitely more powerful than conventional fluorescents.

Greenhouse tables, shelving and plant holders

These are indispensable, especially when you need to work inside your greenhouse and to maximize and organize your greenhouse space. As your plant varieties grow, you will need shelves and tables and plant holders to facilitate your gardening. One popular type of bench that greenhouse hobbyists like is the cedar double layer bench. They are durable and efficient to use.

For shelves, you can opt for two and three section lengths made of aluminum.

Given that watering your plants is an essential – indispensable -part of any greenhouse gardening, a good watering system is required. You can choose either the automatic or hand held watering system to make your watering needs more efficient.

For automatic irrigation systems, there are models that come equipped with an automatic drip irrigation and fertilizer system. Day or night, they regularly water the plants and adjust the flow of fertilizer. Some have a tank in which the water and fertilizer are mixed and are distributed to plants via hoses, Y-connections and drip pins.

Greenhouse garden coil indoor/outdoor watering wand

This is a “self-coiling” garden hose made of rugged and durable polyurethane tubing. It produces ultra-fine mists and sprays in soft, gentle streams. Some wand models extend to as long as 50 feet. No hassle storage because of self-coiling mechanism.

Greenhouses constantly evolve in style and design. It follows then that tools and accessories will grow in number or existing ones will be considerably improved. Manufacturers are probably inventing more tools and accessories this very moment that will make our work in greenhouses easier and quicker.

Remember that you are not limited to a certain variety of plants to grow in a greenhouse. Bear in mind, however, that your preference for certain fruits, vegetables and plants will determine the type of greenhouse you like to build. “Know thy crop” is an important factor before deciding on the greenhouse type you will install.

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A garden or flower bed can begin with beautiful plants, but their continuing growth and beauty will depend on whether they are receiving the proper amount of water. This is especially important since over 90% of a plant consists of water. Your plants’ water requirements are dependant on the type of plant, the plant environment, the type of soil and the amount of time and energy that you have to spend in watering. The results of a proper watering schedule can produce a healthy plant with a good root system, the ability to resist disease and the capability to grow, flower and multiply.

Choose plants for your landscape and your lifestyle. It is beneficial to choose plants that are adapted to the location that you plant them in. Determine if they prefer sun versus partial shade or shade. A sunny area will require more water because of evaporation. You also need to consider whether the plant is drought tolerant or requires more water, whether it prefers a well drained soil or will do well in a clay soil, and whether the plant will be a large plant with a great amount of foliage or remain small. Your climate may be a large influence on the types of plants you choose. Plants that are naturally adapted to your area will thrive better. (more…)