With the arrival of the heat, you’re probably wondering how much you might be spending on water, disinfectant products for the pool, nutrients and pest control for the plants.
At Capcovers we have no shortage of ideas to turn your garden into a place of enjoyment without costing too much to your pocket.
Choose plants that are suitable for the climate
Plants that are not native, or that need different water conditions than those in your area, can be a problem, because if you have to water them every day to maintain their greenery and lushness you will be wasting a lot of water. If you live in an area where rainfall is scarce in summer, succulents or succulent plants are an ideal choice. Far from what you might imagine, succulents are very beautiful plants and give spectacular flowers. They are able to live with rainwater if they are in flowerbeds and, if they are in pots, they can withstand the summer by watering them only once a week. There are many different types and species, it is a matter of doing some research or asking in our nursery to achieve a stunning result in our garden. Another good choice are aromatic plants such as sage or lavender, which survive easily in our forests. If we talk about trees, palms, lemon or orange trees have the advantage of offering us at the same time some shade.
In any case, if plants from more humid areas are desired, the solution could be to group them all in the same area. This way we will create different ecosystems within a single space and, important detail, we will optimize watering. If you get the groups of plants to be dense, you will favor the creation of a humid micro-climate, so that the taller plants shade the smaller ones and protect them from the wind, avoiding at the same time the growth of weeds.
Ground cover plants are used for ground cover and are very resistant to drought. Cat’s claw(Aptenia cordifolia) or lion’s claw(Carpobrotus edulis) can be a good choice.
Irrigation
Drip irrigation is the ideal way to save water, but sometimes it is not enough and we will have to use sprinklers or hoses for the plants that need more water.
On the market you can find water-retaining hydrogels. As you can guess, their function is to absorb water, keeping the area moist for a longer period of time. In addition, these gels also serve as a nutrient, reducing the frequency of irrigation by up to 50% and reducing the need for fertilizers.
Having a cistern or pond is very useful when taking advantage of rainwater and channeling it to a small reservoir, so that all the water that runs down through the gutters, for example, could be used for watering the garden. Water from the sewage treatment plant can also be an interesting resource.
Stores rainwater
Natural fertilizers: Compost
The is a process of transformation of organic organic matter to obtain natural fertilizer. It is a solution that not only helps to save money but also cares for the environment, since the production of industrial fertilizers emits five times more greenhouse gases. All that is needed is a composter, a special container, which can cost around 35 euros, and to dump organic household waste (fruit scraps, eggshells or nuts …). As this organic matter decomposes, it can be recycled and returned to the soil in the form of humus for plants and crops. To give you an estimate, every 100 kg of organic waste yields 30 kg of compost.
Soil Types
One way to increase water holding capacity in sandy soils is to make an organic amendment (adding animal and plant residues to the soil to improve its characteristics) with mulch, peat, manure or compost.
Mulching with pine bark, straw, mulch, aggregate or gravel at the base of plants can help prevent evaporation and weed growth.
Pool cover
The fundamental key to prevent the heat from evaporating the pool water is to install an automatic pool cover. In addition, with a cover you will save on water treatment products in the process, as it also reduces chlorine evaporation. It also keeps the pool water cleaner for longer and reduces the use of your pool’s water treatment system.
Protection
Protecting the surroundings of the garden with hedges avoids the scourge of the wind, which usually dries out the vegetation.
Green facade
You can upholster the walls of your home with plants. In addition to giving an aesthetically amazing result, plants regulate the temperature and serve as thermal insulation because vegetation obstructs, filters and reflects solar radiation. Vertical gardens have the same effect as ventilated facades and their presence generates air chambers that cool the environment around the house.
Can you think of any other solution? Leave us a comment!
