Water wise gardening

South Africa is currently in a drought, and the municipalities are imposting stricter and stricter water restrictions on us all.

These water restrictions are not an excuse for you not to care and water your plants, instead they are an opportunity for you to look at water-wise ways to keep your plants nourished and happy.

We know you love your lawn, but it basically goes dormant at these times, and will return to its glory as soon as the rains come.

When you are watering your plants there are many things you can do to make better use of water in your garden:

• use a watering can instead of a hosepipe.
• watering early in the morning or late at night means water doesn't evaporate in the heat of the day before it can reach the roots.
• leave plants and shrubs dry until they show signs of wilting.
• weeding regularly makes sure that watering helps plants and not weeds.
• prioritise young plants and seedlings; more established plants will survive longer periods without water.
• greywater from baths and showers can be used to water non-edible plants - it is better to use earth friendly biodegradable washing products to ensure that the plants are not impacted by too many chemicals.

Oh and get used to the heat, because it is the new normal. According to dailymaverick.co.za the drought coincides with the El Nino, which means that we will might be getting good rains only five to seven years time. This unusually hot, dry summer, is a sign of things to come.