Catching Rain

When we live in the city, we tend to forget that south africa is a pretty dry country by world standards - we receive and average of only 464mm per annum, compared to a global average of 860mm per annum. Despite many warnings of this matter we remain blissfully ignorant of the real price of water, until someone turns the taps off for maintenance. Lets be realistic - you cannot live without water. If your an avid gardener at least a 1/6 of your water consumption each month will go toward your garden. Which is a fair chunk. Most south african homes - have gutters to deal with the heavy evening rainstorms - The water of which most often does little to penetrate the soil and mainly runs off into the cities drainage system.

This said, creating some for of water harvesting for your home - even if it only functions effectively in the rainy season is a good idea.  You can purchas great comercial systems from - Rain Cell and Jo-Jo
( Slimline ) Which will suit the urban home very well.

If however you cannot afford such a product - there are some great do it yourself rain catchment idea's which would be worth a try. Even if your only end up with enough pressure to fill your watering can. Your still doing your bit. You could station one bellow each of your down pipes.

List of Materials

Generally all but the barrel can be purchased at any decent hardware store.

The Barrel

You will need a plastic  drum or rubbish bin ( the old ones would be best ) - something of a decent
size - with an opening that you can filter closed.  -
 ms plastics
plastic world 
have some in both 50 l  to 200 l which should be appropriate for this project.

The Spigot & Hardware

You'll need a  standard garden tap spigot  These have male threads at one end to screw into the barrel and at the other to attach a standard size hose. You'll also need a  galvanized locknut to match , a rubber washer with a  inner diameter to match , plumbers tape, superglue and silicone.

The Overflow Valve & Hardware

You'll need a ¾" brass overflow valve which, like the spigot, has male threads on either end with the outer end able to connect with the female end of a hose (plastic will work too). You'll also need the locknut, rubber washer, plumbers tape, superglue, and silicone.

Tools

• Drill
• 2.5mm  hole saw or drill bit (use 15/16" for very secure fit)
• Stanley knife
• Needle nose pliers or wrench
• Vegetable oil and cloth
• Screw driver and half dozen screws (see #14)
• Meshscreen for top filter

Making Your Very Own Catchment System (a.k.a. Rain Barrel)

Click Image To View!

Clean and rinse  container with a mild soap and water (rainwater if you've got any yet) Drill a 2.5cm hole with your hole saw or drill bit, just off the bottom of the container for the spigot assembly. I put mine as low as possible to maximize easy water use. It's designed to be used with a stand. I use four cinder blocks. Note: If you are unable to reach down to the inside bottom of the barrel, you might want to use a 15/16" bit and put the washer on the outside of the barrel. Drill a 2.5cm hole about 3 cm or so below the rim for your overflow valve assembly. This hole can go anywhere around the barrel at that latitude. Keep in mind: don't put it too close to the top (overflow) or too low (lose water storage). . Please note: if you've got a large roof and those large downspouts, you may want to get a larger overflow valve. Use that 2.5cm (1") bit to drill a dozen or so holes in the lid. Rainwater will filter through meshscreen then through holes into barrel. Take utility knife to clean scraps around holes. Wrap the barrel end of the spigot three times around with Teflon tape and then screw in the spigot squarely. It should go by hand. Take the rubber washer and glue the surface of one side with a stong glue and reach into the barrel and work it over the threads. Flush with the barrel. Screw on the locknut and finish tightening by turning the spigot while holding the locknut with a wrench or needle nose pliers. You may need a second person to turn while you hold or vice versa). Authors note: I love needle nose pliers! Wrap the longer end of the overflow valve with Teflon tape three times and then screw it into the overflow hole by hand or by using a wrench or pliers if necessary. The outside male threads should be able to connect with a standard size hose to divert the overflow. Repeat #7 Screw on the locknut as far as possible by hand, then hold locknut while tightening overflow valve with pliers/wrench until it flies out of your hand or is very tight. Take a tube of all-purpose silicone "goop" and apply a bead where overflow valve meets the outside of the barrel. Note: I do this as an added sealant. It may not even be necessary. Take a tube of all-purpose silicone "goop" and apply where the spigot meets the barrel. Follow drying time directions from the silicone tube. Trace the outline of the lid on a mesh fiberglass screen and then cut it out. Screw on, if necessary, or just tighten ring around cap to secure. This screen is designed to keep mosquitoes out. Alternatively - should you not have a container with a lid.  remove the lid and use the steel band , or anything else you might find, get some fine grade - shade cloth and cover the top of the barrel with this, clamp steel band over tightly and there you have your filter.  Place your barrel below your down pipe - if you do not have one invest in one.   build a small plinths with some bricks or concrete blocks, (this need not be permanent. ) to help with pressure - giving it at least enough hight for a watering can to fit bellow it. Enjoy your new water wiser garden.

Get your seedlings ourdoors

Seedlings, that have been living indoors - have gotten lazy, not having to worry about frost, direct sunlight, or anything quite that dramatic. Taking seedling directly from the cosy indoor to the great outdoors may well kill your babies off, and we wouldn't want that. You will need to toughen them up, think of it like Gr R for plants.There are various methods out there, this method I've found quite helpful.
Just careful, this is africa - its HOT and DRY out there.

1. Start about a week or two before you plant out your seedlings. Set them outdoors -- trays and all -- in a protected area, out of the direct wind and sun. Leave them out for an hour or so (set a timer if you're forgetful), then bring them back indoors.
   
   
2. Repeat the process, increasing it to 3 hours, then a morning, then a whole day, until they are used to a full day and a night.
   
   
3. Keep them well-watered, but not swimming. Apparently It also helps to toughen up their stems by brushing them with your hand a few times each day. But this I have not tried yet.
   
   
4. check the weather daily especially early in the season- when we get anything from frost to 29 deg c weather, keep them indoors if anything dramatic is projected..

Once your plants are toughened up and ready to go in the garden, wait for a cloudy, foggy-cool or drizzly day. If no clouds are in the forecast, then aim for the coolness of the evening.

• Water plants well.
  
  
• Dig a hole slightly wider than and the same depth as the container. For cabbage, kale, broccoli, mustard spinach, cauliflower and tomatoes, bury their stems up to their first set of true leaves.
  
  
• If your transplants are growing in plastic pots, turn the pots upside down and slide them out. Gently squeeze the bottom of the pot to dislodge stubborn roots, being careful to not tear them. 
• I usually like to water with a good liquid plant food directly after planting to give the seedlings a fighting chance. 

Cooling down the plants

 

cooling the plants :

So to avoid the nasty hotness descending on us at themoment. I have constructed this little shading device out of hesian and dowel sticks.Its a pretty Basic triangular - construction.         1.you will need 5 dowel sticks                                   

2.Hessian cloth  ( sack cloth )     / Shade Cloth                                                              

3. string.

Wayne ( My Husband )  decided he did not approve of my shading devise so we made a shading screen instead.

Which is effectivly the same construction just with an upright, and cross bar, to hang the cloth over, It does allow for access for watering which is a big bonus. See Bellow

Plant screen

                                                                                                           

 Our lovely porch - is looking rather green at present in my attempt to rescue my plants from burning up in the heat.

Its Hot The Cacti are happy but the peas arn't

Hi all, if your garden is anything like mine - You will be crying at this weeks temperature -expectations of between 29-31 deg C all week. I've just planted my seedlings, :o( The rain it will not come. So
I've done a little research on, what to do you save your plants.

1. Shad cloth and cover - this is what I am going to be doing tonight -  off to builders warehouse with me to bye some shade cloth and , someting to build a make shift garden cover with.


2. Give beds a deep watering : I found this expatiation from this website. Deep root Watering


The Deep Root Watering Method Explained:
a. To allow the water to penetrate and not run off, till or loosen the top one-inch layer of soil in the flower gardening plant bed.
Be careful around newer plantings, as some of the roots will be nearer the surface and will be fragile.
b. For better results, use a good water nozzle, one that breaks the water flow into multiple, gentle streams.
d. Start watering at a point in your yard that you can work your way back to. Slowly work your way around your garden.
e. Make sure to thoroughly water each individual plant and any open or unplanted area around them.
For a typical 4x1.5 m bed, spend 5 minutes watering; then slowly work your way around the rest of your garden.
f. Now you’re done for about a week, depending upon the weather.

Alternatively you can purchase slow seeping hose to bury just bellow the soil in your garden beds. And get to the root of the matter.


3.  Mulch : Mulching your garden is a great way to conserve - water as if helps prevent evaporation.
You can use both organic mulch such as bark chips, dry law clippings, autumn leaves, Overtime as they decay they will add to the soil fertility.Inorganic materials such as pebbles, gravel can also be used. Although, I've never tried this, obliviously not so good for vegetable gardens , But should work well for larger plans and shrubs.
you can also find a great description on this website:   janes deliciouse garden blog.


4. Move your pot plants into a cooler location : As soil heats up in pot plants - and can damage the roots of your plants - it is best in extremely hot weather to simply move your plans indoors , We have a sun room on the south side of our house which I'm using that is working well. If you don't have something as handy as this simply moving your plants into the shadiest part of your garden or into the south side of your house might be a good option for the next few days.

 5. Water in the evening: or the early hours of the morning to avoid the most evaporation.  And give water time to settle into the ground before its gets sucking up by the dry air.

Well I wish you luck . 

Terrarium - Experiment Resluts

Terrarium 1 : cling film over old Enamel basin.
(If you wish to use an enamel basin as a planter best results were gained by drilling some nice large hold in the base. )





Terrarium  2 : coke bottles.        

Terrium 3 : Cling- film over  cat litter boxes.
I've used these mainly for seedling but they seem to have worked fine for other things. 

As you can see - I've had some good success with these methods and will defiantly be using them again come, winter seedling time.  I has not rained much - so I've delayed - transplanting for a week or two.

Coming next - My garden progress.  - We moved house in April so by the time we'd gotten settled it was May-June and too late to plant anything, so we had a dust bowl of a back garden for months. With empty beds- which we cleared of neglect from various previous owners. ( we even found an entire lemon tree underneath a rather enthusiastic creeper-   but this are looking up!

Seedling 2 :

Second discovery  from the first one - was the cling film, terrarium: using the idea of creating a nice cosy moist environment for the seeds to grow in , I used two clean cat little boxes and some cling film.

This one is great for getting seedling ready to plant in your garden. I do recommend you use a growing guide to see when the optimum time to do this is. this this website has a great garden planner which will tell you when to plan what plants.

You will need :

1 x cat litter box.

cling wrap.

4 seed trays.

seeds of your choice.

light windowsill or sun-room.

pegs

1. Pre-per seeds as describe previously.

2. place seed trays in cat litter box.

3. Water well.

4. use 3 pegs to secure cling wrap to one side.

5. Slowly roll film over pegging to side as needed.

6. peg to opposite end and cut.

7. place seeds in light window or sun room

8. Allow seeds 7 days to sprout.

9. once seed have sprouted - watch closely for mould, as soon as seed have first 2 leaves. Remove cling film and allow to grown until at least 4 leaves are visible or seedling look strong. Turning every day to avoid on sided growth, and water regularly.

10. once seed look strong enough take out doors for a day or two and trans plant to prepared beds or

 pots as required.

Getting Started : Steedlings

Well to begin with, how do you get things to grow ? I know its sometimes seems well beyond you capabilities and for the first year or two I will admit I used seedlings - from my local garden shop, but there is a point at which you need to take the leap - especially if pocket are feeling shallow.

These are some experiments I've been trying though - so far they have been quite succesfull. 

1. Seedlings in a zip-lock bag : I discovered this one quite by accident, simple and easy to do. Especially if all the space you can afford is a windowsill.

you will need : 

seeds of your choice.

one seedling try

1 - 6 zip lock bags.

soil or potting medium

1 :  one bye a seedling try, cut up into single 'pots' - get some soil or potting medium eitehr will do.

2 :  fill the "pots with potting medium till almost full leave about 1 cm bellow rim.

3 :  place one or two seed on top of the soil. 

4 :  cover seed with about 2 mm of soil - or potting medium.

5 :  place in zip lock bag , 

6 :  pour a little water into the base of the bag.

7 :  close and seal leaving a little gap on one end unsealed for breathing. 

8 :  place on a light but not sunny window sill to start.  

9 :  allow 7-10 days for germination. 

* Note north facing windows are not ideal - as they tend to get to hot. Unless they are shaded in some manner. 

Urban Garden Farm :

I've recently discover the joys of gardening - well perhaps discovered is not quite right, perhaps more like rediscovered. Having done so - like all good discoveries something are just better when shared.  So here goes you can grow anything - anywhere weather you have a windowsill , balcony , roof top or little garden plot. So this is a blog about growing things- about how growing things will grow your soul, If you find yourself staring at your computer screen thinking I need a break. - I need to get out of the city. Then this blog is for you, how to creat your own garden sanctuary where ever you are. I Hope you enjoy it.