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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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…)

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…)

Rainwater Collection in modern urban areas is something that is still new and at its infancy in many respects but with many areas these days experiencing changing climates the installation of rainwater collection systems is now becoming more popular.

The biggest question for many home owners is how to go about implementing rainwater collection and what type of rainwater collection system to install. There are many types on the market but broadly speaking you can divide rainwater collection systems into above ground and below ground systems.

When making your choice there is much to consider. Below ground rainwater collection systems are obviously the most efficient at collecting as much rainwater as possible. The fact that the inlet to the tank is below ground level allows rainwater to be diverted easily by the use of gravity from all of the roof area, thus maximising the rainwater collection potential of your roof. Despite being very efficient, below ground rainwater collection systems can be expensive to install. Installation costs include excavating the site and lack of access to existing residences can make these systems prohibitive to many houses. (more…)