Gardening with less Water

Around the home and garden..advice and money saving suggestions and DIY ideas & help,Hints tips and recommendations.

Moderator: dolmadis

Gardening with less Water

Postby dolmadis » 17 Mar 2007 10:09

Contrary to the popular image of a water saving landscape consisting solely of cacti in a dusty area of rocks and pebbles, drought-tolerant Mediterranean natives are very attractive. If you are prepared to follow a few simple steps, with little water, expense and labour, an evergreen flowering garden throughout the year will be yours.

Plan your garden - Locate permanent elements and determine which plants need water. There may not be more than a few in an otherwise drought-tolerant area. A well-planned garden has pronounced horizontal lines. They give structure to the garden and prevent erosion. Consider winds and their drying out effect and find out where protection is essential.


Create plant cover and shade - Evergreen vegetation retains soils, protecting it year-round from dehydration. A lush plant cover suppresses competing weeds. Shade is nature's way of keeping down leaves' transpiration. Shade attenuates sun reflection, decreases evaporation from the soil, protects soil, retains air humidity and refreshes the air.


Use drought-tolerant plants - Correctly planted and maintained, once established after a year or two Mediterranean natives do with the natural winter rain in response to their yearly, prolonged dry season, going dormant when the climate turns hot and dry. Mostly evergreen, Mediterranean natives have attractive flowers.


Reduce the lawn - A main element of temperate gardening, grass areas are often automatically used in Mediterranean climates where they are the most water and labour intensive landscape element around. One of the key ingredients of water-saving gardens is minimal lawn area. Use alternatives like paving or compact-growing succulents or vines.


Group plants for water needs - You will achieve important savings in water if you divide your garden into areas with high, medium and low water requirements, according to the specific needs of the plants.


Plan water management - You may not see real rain for years, but when it comes, it can be destructive, washing away your garden's fertile soil. When considering irrigation, use efficient equipment. Old-fashioned sprinklers often emit more water than dry summer soils absorbs. Drip systems can achieve up to 50 percent savings in water supply.


Use water-saving practices - Keep shade plants in the shade, water-loving ones at the bottom of slopes or adjacent to lawns. Grouping plants together creates micro-environments for moisture retention, shades the ground, protects small plants from drying winds. When planted in early autumn, root systems adjust over humid mild winters and plants often enter the summer drought period already well-established.
Regards
User avatar
dolmadis
Own Section Moderator
 
Posts: 226
Joined: 14 Mar 2007 23:17
Location: Coralo Hills if in Cyprus otherwise UK

Gardening with less Water

Sponsor

Sponsor
 

Re: Gardening with less Water

Postby MQLino » 29 Sep 2015 13:11

This is simply amazing. It was a great piece of information. Thank you. :ymapplause: %%- :-bd
MQLino
 
Posts: 3
Joined: 29 Sep 2015 11:39

Re: Gardening with less Water

Postby trevnhil » 29 Sep 2015 17:42

It also is Really amazing they you have reactivated a post OVER EIGHT YEARS OLD !! :shock: :roll: :roll:
User avatar
trevnhil
 
Posts: 7642
Joined: 15 Mar 2007 09:53
Location: POLEMI. Cyprus

Re: Gardening with less Water

Postby panoscouse » 29 Sep 2015 17:52

Having just joined today I wonder what delights he/she will be advertising in his/her future posts. :roll:


Not if we see them first...Jim
User avatar
panoscouse
 
Posts: 1594
Joined: 15 Jun 2007 23:45
Location: Anfield & Arodes

Re: Gardening with less Water

Postby DavidinKarmi » 29 Sep 2015 20:25

Why not join the Mediterranean Garden Society, bang on the button for all the info you need:

http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/

A little-known (in Cyprus) society which is so really helpful.
DavidinKarmi
 
Posts: 178
Joined: 21 Feb 2013 16:06





Return to Home & Garden, & money saving ideas DIY help and advice..Hints tips and how to do it!...


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest