Surviving the heat – keep your summer garden lush

Summer in South Africa is synonymous with outdoor living, and to many of us, our gardens are as important as our indoor spaces. When the summer heat sets in, our gardens really bear the brunt of our extreme temperatures.

Water is a crucial element in keeping your summer garden lush, but unless you share a borehole with your neighbours, it's a very pricey commodity indeed. Almost half of the water usage in the average home during the summer months is used in the garden, and water bills can increase up to 50% during this time.

A tip for wise watering is to water plants deeply for longer period, rather than lightly and more frequently, to create better root systems to help during the dry periods.

Remember to check your plants that have been planted recently as they will require more water in the first year to become established. Plants in containers require watering more often as they tend to dry out quickly, particularly in terracotta pots where the clay absorbs the water.

Mulch keeps your garden moist during the summer heat, reducing evaporation and increasing the humidity level around the plants. A good organic mulch retains water, also helping the plants to survive the heat.

Healthy plants need less water. By keeping on top of weeding, thinning and pruning plants you reduce the amount of water necessary. Plants produce flowers to reproduce which requires a lot of energy with many plants dying back once this has happened. Keep removing the flowers that have been spent – this looks neater and will helps conserve energy. More tips can be read in our previous article on how to keep your garden fabulous.

When planning cost-effective water-saving solutions, consider collection units and rainwater harvesting. There are a number of methods of collecting rain water for use in the garden, such as professionally manufactured and installed rain collection tanks, grey water systems which are connected to your irrigation system or simple rain collection barrels placed at the base of down pipes. This “free” water can be used effectively to keep your garden hydrated.

Your lawn is used more often during summer, but it can be a challenge to keep it lush and level. Understand the soil type in your garden to better manage drainage and irrigation. Water penetrates differently in different types of soil. To determine if you are watering deep enough, dig a small hole in an inconspicuous area after watering and use your hand to see how deeply the water has penetrated. A good depth is around 15cm deep.