Water wise & Indigenous Gardening

[Creag]

I haven't found any similar thread wherein this sort of discussion has started.

TL;DR Version

Care to share your successes? Some ideas for discussion:

• Rain water harvesting.
• Grey water harvesting and how to improve its quality for garden usage.
• Borehole water: feasible, cost effective?
• Indigenous plants which are hardy for our climate (please mention which region suited to, e.g. Pofadder, Margate, etc.)
• Ideas & solutions for improving and maximising water usage in gardens, garden beds or soil.

The not-so TL;DR Version

Water scarcity is starting to drive the decisions I/we make regarding future gardening. Johannesburg continues to be dry (dryer than usual) and water restrictions are slowly being enforced (a good thing).

I am busy investigating plants that are hardy for our climate, that are indigenous, with the view to slowly replace gardens with plants, shrubs, bushes that will tolerate a dryer, warm climate. Our sectional title complex wastes money on buying plants, seedlings and whatnot that last a season or require constant watering. (I know that I may rock the boat a wee bit, but so long as at the helm, this is the way forward.)

I suppose the answer would be to go the way of succulents and cactus type plants. If it were mine to choose, this would be the only way. Plenty of variety and beauty in this.

I am also researching ways to improve and enrich soil content in my container garden (flowers, herbs and small shrubs). Presently I am mixing in vermiculite to the potting soil to increase water retention.

If this thread works (as I am hoping it will), then I will start a summary with links to your posts. TIA.

 

[ToxicBunny]

I haven't found any similar thread wherein this sort of discussion has started.

TL;DR Version

Care to share your successes? Some ideas for discussion:

• Rain water harvesting.
• Grey water harvesting and how to improve its quality for garden usage.
• Borehole water: feasible, cost effective?
• Indigenous plants which are hardy for our climate (please mention which region suited to, e.g. Pofadder, Margate, etc.)
• Ideas & solutions for improving and maximising water usage in gardens, garden beds or soil.

The not-so TL;DR Version

Water scarcity is starting to drive the decisions I/we make regarding future gardening. Johannesburg continues to be dry (dryer than usual) and water restrictions are slowly being enforced (a good thing).

I am busy investigating plants that are hardy for our climate, that are indigenous, with the view to slowly replace gardens with plants, shrubs, bushes that will tolerate a dryer, warm climate. Our sectional title complex wastes money on buying plants, seedlings and whatnot that last a season or require constant watering. (I know that I may rock the boat a wee bit, but so long as at the helm, this is the way forward.)

I suppose the answer would be to go the way of succulents and cactus type plants. If it were mine to choose, this would be the only way. Plenty of variety and beauty in this.

I am also researching ways to improve and enrich soil content in my container garden (flowers, herbs and small shrubs). Presently I am mixing in vermiculite to the potting soil to increase water retention.

If this thread works (as I am hoping it will), then I will start a summary with links to your posts. TIA.

I don't have any specific links as of yet since I'm still living in a sandpit whilst construction goes on...

But, I will be implementing rain water catchment (probably 4 x 10000l tanks).
The garden itself will only be indigenous. I live in KZN so if the plant isn't indigenous to this specific region it won't get planted. Period. Succulents and such are great in small little feature areas in my opinion but would be hard to get right in a large space.

 

[maumau]

Location: Fairland, Gauteng
Irrigation: Drip

Personally I think aloes and xeriscapes look hideous. Granted some of the pictures look beautiful but cacti and aloes have transient blooming times. Also, the idea of pebbles or mulch around a focal point wouldn't work for us because trees in the area are constantly losing leaves and would land up lying on top looking messy.

We've been planting more and more drought resistant plants through the years but have stuck with greenery/flowers instead of going for the dried twig look.

These have been successful:

Makaya Bella - Indigenous
Freylinia - Indigenous
Periwinkle - can become a nuisance but it's a glorious rich green and doesn't mind soil type or lack of water
Abutilon - birds find the blooms irresistible
Ruscus - grows in deep shade, doesn't require any attention at all
Acanthus Mollis - requires a little bit more water than the others
Day Lilies

Leopard Tree

Small convulvulous ground cover - drought resistant

None of the above have died, even with very little water. Periwinkle needs to be controlled and Acanthus needs a bit more water now and then.

 

[maumau]

Hope OP doesn't mind me asking in this thread where/how to have wood chipped.

There's so much lying around after pruning etc it seems a waste to dump it.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Hope OP doesn't mind me asking in this thread where/how to have wood chipped.

There's so much lying around after pruning etc it seems a waste to dump it.

You could contact a garden service...

Or you could hire a woodchipper for the day...

 

[maumau]

You could contact a garden service...

Or you could hire a woodchipper for the day...

Didn't know you could hire those things. Will check it out, tks TB.

 

[Creag]

Hope OP doesn't mind me asking in this thread where/how to have wood chipped.

There's so much lying around after pruning etc it seems a waste to dump it.

By all means, please use this thread

One of my urgent needs is to get someone in to prune and air a few trees in my area whose shade is starting to kill everything underneath their canopy. The shade is nice, but it's killing the grass and the smaller shrubs beneath.

 

[Creag]

Location: Fairland, Gauteng
Irrigation: Drip

Being just across the N1 from you, I will be researching your ideas later tonight. So thank you!

You could contact a garden service...

Or you could hire a woodchipper for the day...

I have been considering "investing" in something like this. Not just for me, but for the complex in general as so much of our cuttings, pruned branches, etc. can be used to make our own compost or perhaps something to cover the beds with (maybe to reduce evaporation?).

I like your ideas, TB, for the indigenous only approach. So you are starting with a blank slate and painting your "canvas" with the "colours" of your choice. Good for you. Will be nice to snap a few pics of the development along the way and look back in the years to come.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Being just across the N1 from you, I will be researching your ideas later tonight. So thank you!



I have been considering "investing" in something like this. Not just for me, but for the complex in general as so much of our cuttings, pruned branches, etc. can be used to make our own compost or perhaps something to cover the beds with (maybe to reduce evaporation?).

I like your ideas, TB, for the indigenous only approach. So you are starting with a blank slate and painting your "canvas" with the "colours" of your choice. Good for you. Will be nice to snap a few pics of the development along the way and look back in the years to come.

You can get more than acceptable smaller ones for about R4k these days... I have this Ryobi one at home : https://www.makro.co.za/sports-and-outdoor/ryobi-1500w-shredder-34423EA

Here is part of the canvas I'm going to be working with :

Some of the building rubbish has gone, but its still not level yet, and there are still builders on site so I refuse to put a single cent into the garden until they've buggered off.

 

[GoB]

You can get more than acceptable smaller ones for about R4k these days... I have this Ryobi one at home : https://www.makro.co.za/sports-and-outdoor/ryobi-1500w-shredder-34423EA

Not to derail the thread, but anything wrong with this type? (cause I usually just go for the highest wattage)
https://www.makro.co.za/sports-and-outdoor/ryobi-2400w-mulching-shredder-246476EA

Also, how do you justify the rain water storage? For home use?
Because from what I see, storage is not worth it for garden use - you get 1Xvolume per year, since you need nothing in the rainy season, and may as well use everything directly outside the rainy season.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Not to derail the thread, but anything wrong with this type? (cause I usually just go for the highest wattage)
https://www.makro.co.za/sports-and-outdoor/ryobi-2400w-mulching-shredder-246476EA

Also, how do you justify the rain water storage? For home use?
Because from what I see, storage is not worth it for garden use - you get 1Xvolume per year, since you need nothing in the rainy season, and may as well use everything directly outside the rainy season.

Nothing wrong with that one it seems...

The only real difference seems to be the one I posted just spits the crud out the bottom, the one you posted has a "catcher".. so would get full quite quickly.

For the water storage, Durbs can go quite a while without water sometimes, so better to prepare for worst case scenario. I also intend on eventually plumbing it in for Grey water usage.