|
If insects such as trips,
whitefly, aphids are on the foliage when you spray the Vaporgard
the pests are locked up in the film and die.
Your plants have a new lease of life, water requirements are
reduced, the plant can gain more energy from the sun and pests
and diseases are less of a problem. If we happen to have an
early frost your plants thus treated, will also have frost
protection while the film is over the foliage. (Another spray
3 months later, over all your frost sensitive plants should
be applied.)
Water restrictions such as only watering every second day
is a big problem for those of us that have container plants
outdoors.
I had an elderly lady ring me during the week from Hamilton
saying what can she do for her six tomato plants in containers,
now that they are only able to water every second day.
This is the time to save your grey water from the sink, washing
machine and bath.
After washing the dishes take the water from the sink and
water your plants.
When you use the washing machine take the outlet hose and
place it into the laundry tub and collect the used water.
(don't leave this to happen without keeping an eye on it as
you might flood the laundry)
If you have a shower over a bath, place the plug in the bath
and collect this water and if you have a bath use the water
for the garden. In all these water recycling methods you have
a bit more work in carrying water around but it can keep your
garden plants happy in drought times.
There are people in drought prone areas that have installed
holding tanks to collect all their grey water for the gardens.
Maybe as global warming increases more of us may have to set
up permanent arrangements like this. Did you know that the
average household can collect about 83000 litres of grey water
each year. That is a lot of water from baths, showers, laundry
and kitchen.
By the way water from the toilet is called black water.
You may need to change some of the things you do so no harm
will come to your plants or soil.
Don't use the following: Washing detergents with high phosphorous
levels (many brands now have low or nil phosphorous, so choose
one of these)
Bleaches and other disinfectants.
Fats (from soaps).
Washing detergents using salt. Many cheaper brands use salt
as a filler. It does not add to the washing power of the powder.
Use only concentrates; or, better still, liquid detergents.
Watering with dish washing liquids in the water has another
advantage as this water breaks soil surface tension and allows
water to penetrate rather than run off.
Grey water is applied directly onto the soil and not over
the plants.
By adding some Magic Botanic Liquid to your grey water that
you are going to water onto the garden will also greatly assist
in keeping every thing more natural.
Here is a way of turning a very dry area into a better moisture
retention area;
Firstly add some dish washing liquid to warm water in your
watering can and moisten the area with this water. Next give
the area a good watering. Place newspaper or cardboard over
the bare soil and wet it down. Cover the wet paper with a
layer of compost, bark fines or untreated sawdust.
For the later two always sprinkle blood and bone over the
paper before covering.
In drought times even the deeper rooting shrubs and trees
can suffer. One way to help make watering of them easier is
to cut the bottom off 2 litre plastic bottles and bury them
neck first into the soil in the root zone, so that the cut
bottom is just above soil level. Then when watering fill up
the bottles with water and the water will be forced down into
where the roots can use it. This reduces moisture loss from
evaporation.
When the soil becomes dry the soil life dies or becomes dormant
along with worm activity.
This is not a healthy state for your plants. Next problem
is chlorine in the tap water which is chlorine gas pumped
into the water to kill bacteria. As water reservoirs become
low in summer more chlorine is used. (Often you can smell
it when you turn on the tap)
Chlorine is harmful to our soil and plants and can increase
the amount of disease in the soil and on plants. (Kills off
the good bacteria and not all of the bad fellows) Do not water
the foliage with chlorinated water. Place a filter on your
hose tap to remove the chlorine. (Best) Alternatively fill
tubs or buckets with chlorinated water and leave in the sun
for a day to remove the chlorine, then water.
For your own health and that of your children and pets, place
a filter on your kitchen tap to remove the chlorine.
Did you know that drinking chlorinated water increases the
risk of developing cancer of the rectum or the bladder, the
risk increasing as the more chlorinated water is drunk.
A study by the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality showed
that the cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water
is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain
chlorine.
Dr. Niels Skakkebaek of the University of Copenhagen made
a study that demonstrated the average human sperm counts have
dropped in Denmark by almost 50% due to the presence of man-made
chlorine found in human tissues and breast milk.
Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, found that high levels
of trihalomethanes, a by-product of chlorine in drinking water,
significantly increased the risk of stillbirth.
A hundred or so dollars spent on a filter unit is obviously
a great investment in your health.
Problems ring me at 0800 466 464 (Palmerston
North 3570606)
wallyjr@gardenews.co.nz Email
Web site
www.gardenews.co.nz
Garden Pages and News at www.gardenews.co.nz
Shar Pei pages at www.sharpei.co.nz
Please
check out the Event Calendar. If you want your activity included, just let us
know. Thank you.
Chelsea Flower Show
In May Live
Thank
you. Eplants Email |
