GARDEN TIPS
The winter has finally waved goodbye. And now, our ‘summer’ is upon us! Even living in what we perceive to be the wettest country on the planet this summer will inevitably contain a message from the government to ‘conserve water’. As crazy as this sounds we do not have an unlimited supply as some people might think. And so we must consciously make an effort to conserve. Here are a few garden tips from us at Apco Garden Design to give you a few ideas on how you can do your bit (and have a great looking garden in the process!).
WHAT TO BUY ?
If you are in the process of buying plants, opt for the varieties that are know ‘drought-beaters’. Petunias, tagetes, pelargoniums and marigolds are known to cope well with dry conditions. A good idea is to mix moisture-saving gel into your compost or buy compost with moisture-holding additives. Don’t increase feeding, and if you have to conserve your water, halve feeding until supplies return to normal.
BEDS AND BORDERS
If you can water with a hose, do so in the mornings or evenings. It is also wise to lay mulch. This clever tip will conserve moisture. You can also reduce the chance of evaporation by using porous hose or trickle-tubes, rather than sprinklers.
Even do we all do it, try not to worry when grass turns a brown colour in times of drought. Simply raise your lawnmower blades a level or two. It is wise not to apply fertiliser either. When the rain eventually returns, maintain the lawnmower blades at the same level until the grass has recovered. Well looked after lawns are thirsty and environmentally unfriendly. Another garden tips idea is to opt for a Synthetic Grass lawn. This will eliminate the need to water your lawn thereby saving A LOT of water! Apco Synthetic Grass have many years experience of Synthetic Grass in Dublin and would be happy to help with any queries you may have. They can be contacted on 01-6263496 or through their contact form.
SHRUBS AND TREES
Something to consider when thinking about planting shrubs and trees is that mature plants will cope with adverse weather better than your ones. Two types that may need watering are rhododendrons and azaleas so remember this. If you decide to plant young shrubs or trees these are going to need a lot of regular watering.
CONSERVE WATER
One of the best pieces of advice we can give you is to water your plants in the morning or evening. You should water pots thoroughly and a good tip is to wait until the compost is almost dry before watering again.
Something we can all do is to use water butts to gather rainwater from roofs. This is a great way of conserving water. Water than would otherwise go down the drain! You’ll be surprised at how fast they fill up. Also, if you can harvest it bath, shower or washing-up water is fine for plants and trees.
Mild contamination of soils by washing detergent is not an issue if the water is used in moderation. Softened or less hard water is less desirable. Long term use of this will cause a build-up of salt in the soil which is bad news!
And finally…..a half a day’s rainfall may bring only short-term relief. The deficit in your soil moisture will need regular rain to get back to normal levels, so keep saving water.
PLANTING SCHEMES
As we can all attest to, climate change is wreaking havoc with our seasons. This is likely to result in more frequent droughts. So it is wise to adjust your planting choices over a period of time. There are many beautiful drought-proof plants. These include euphorbias, crambes, verbascums, verbenas, and more.
Contact us today on 01-626346 for more garden tips and information.