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GARDENINGSECRETS
A-Z of
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INTRODUCTION
In the ever-changing world of the garden, there is
always something to discover. This is particularly
the case if you’re just starting on your journey in
gardening. But even if you have a little knowledge or have
been gardening for years, there’ll be times when you feel the
need for some trusted tips and advice. For example, one year your
lemon tree doesn’t flower. Or your trees have grown into mature
specimens and turned sunny spots into shade. O r you want to gro
box hedge, or cover a pergola with flowering climbers. The changi
environment of the garden is full of possibilities. The more time I
spend gardening, and talking and writing about plants and garde
the more I realise how much there is still to learn !
That’s where A–Z of Gardening Secrets comes in. If you want to kn
how to keep your lawn in the best condition, prepare your soil for
planting or grow perfect roses, then this is t he book for you. It is a
indispensable garden guide that gets straight to the heart of the
problem with its handy A to Z format. Look up F for fertiliser to
discover the best way to feed your plants, S for shade to find a shr
that can thrive in a tricky spot, or turn to C for caterpillars to lea
how to stop these pesky critters eating your basil.
A–Z of Gardening Secrets is a book to keep close at hand. Dip into
when you’ve got a gardening problem to solve, want to learn a new
technique or simply want to be inspired by the beautiful photogra
and illustrations. Whatever your garden size, I’m sure it will beco
an essential part of your gardening tool k it.
Debbie McDonald
Writer, horticultural consultant and horticultural ed itor at
ABC Gardening Australia magazine
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AAFRICAN VIOLETS | AGAPANTHUS
4
A ABELIAS | ACID SOIL
Testing your soil pHYou can buy a simple kit to discover
the pH value of your soil. Following the
instructions, place a teaspoon of soil
on the test card, then add drops of the
indicator liquid. Stir it into the soil
sample, adding more drops to form
a thick paste. Dust the paste with the
white powder provided, then wait for
1 minute until it changes colour. Matchthe colour of the soil sample with the
nearest pH value on the colour card.
Purple is alkaline, yellow is acid, and
green is neutral.
ABELIASThe sweetly scented flowers
of abelias are seen mainly in
summer and autumn and are
highly attractive to bees. The
flowering stems can be picked
and used indoors as they look
attractive in flower arrangements.
Abelias for hedgesMake a fast-growing, informal
hedge by planting glossy abelia
( Abelia × grandiflora) 1 m apart.
After the second year, prune
some of the older shoots near
the base of each plant to allow
for new growth, but otherwise
let the plant develop its natural
arching shape.
A touch of goldThe gold colour of the variegated
abelia cultivar ‘Francis Mason’
will be more intense in full sun
and in poorer soils. It is an ideal
choice for a hedge or border in
a sunny spot. ‘Francis Mason’
grows to around 1.5 m. ‘Sunrise’
(1.8 m) has attractive red-bronze
autumn colour, ‘Prostrata’ (60 cm)
is a fragrant groundcover and
‘Sherwoodii’ (1.2 m) makes a good
compact hedge.
Members of the Protea family, including the South African king protea and many
Australian natives, have adapted to the acid soils common in those countries.
ACID SOIL
The acid testYou can find out the pH (acid or
alkaline balance) of your soil by
using a soil-testing kit, available
from most nurseries. Acid soils
show a pH less than 7 (neutral).
Vegetation can also be a crude
guide to soil acidity. The presence
of carpet grass and dandelions,for example, usually indicates
acid and infertile soils.
Added sweetenerThe best pH range for most plants
is slightly acid at pH 5.5 to 6.5.
Below this, you will need to add
a liming agent or soil ‘sweetener’
unless you are growing acid-
loving plants. The common liming
agents are lime or dolomite.
Dolomite is calcium magnesium
carbonate which, like limestone,
raises soil pH but also adds
magnesium, an element often
lacking in Australian soils.
Plant selectionInstead of liming your soil, you
could grow acid-tolerant plants.Plants in the Ericaceae family
(azaleas, ericas, rhododendrons)
are known for their preference for
acid soils, as are camellias, citrus,
gardenias, geraniums, magnolias
and members of the Protea family.
Lime these only if the pH is very
severely acidic. Most Australian
native plants are adapted to acidsoil and in some cases are tolerant
of extreme acidity. Only a few
plants from coastal sand dunes
and from the arid inland prefer
alkaline soils.
See also Soil analysis
AGAPANTHUS
Divide clumps to line the drivewayAgapanthus are striking when
planted to line a driveway or a
fence. A quick way to increase
your supply of agapanthus is to
dig up a clump in late winter and
divide it into separate plants
using a sharp spade.
Getting agapanthus to flowerAgapanthus that refuse to flower
are usually growing in too much
shade. Move the clump to a spot in
full sun or enjoy the green leaves.
Variety of flower colourGood varieties to grow include
‘Purple Cloud’ (tall, with large
heads of intensely purple-blue
flowers), ‘Strawberry Ice’ (medium
height with pure white heads of
flowers blushed strawberry pink),
AFRICANVIOLETSAfrican violets make idealindoor plants. They flowerover a long period, especiallyin spring and summer, withblooms of white, mauve, pink,purple or blue, and ruffledand double petals.
The right conditionsPlace pots in a warm room with
a minimum temperature of 18°C,
where they get bright but indirect
sunlight. To create the humid
conditions that these plants like,
stand the pots on dampened
pebbles. Fertilise from spring to
later summer with a liquid feed
at half strength.
How to water African violetsKeep the soil moist but not soggy.
When watering, carefully pour
water into the dish under the pot.
Alternatively, place the pot in a
bowl of shallow water. Try not to
wet the hairy leaves – they are
easily marked.
‘Snowflake’ (miniature to 50
with ice white flowers), ‘Blac
Panther’ (to 90 cm with dark
violet-blue large flowers), an
‘Silver Song’ (white-striped b
flowers). Striking Agapanthu
inapertus has pendulous dee
blue flowers on tall stems.
Variety of flower colourNow there are also many dw
agapanthus available for sm
gardens, pots or along a path
These dwarf agapanthus can
small as 15 cm. Named varie
include ‘Baby Blue’ and ‘Pete
Pan’, which have blue flower
summer. ‘Snowdrop’ has whflowers. There are dwarf form
with variegated leaves, such
‘Tinkerbell’, which grows to
around 30 cm and has blue fl
that stand around 50 cm abo
the leaves.
take leaf cuttings of African violets
1 African violets root easily
from leaf cuttings. Carefully
pull or cut off a leaf stalk and
shorten it to about 2–4 cm long.
2 Bury each leaf stalk in
propagating mix in a 13 c
pot. Cover the pot with a clea
plastic bag or stand it in a cl
and lightly shaded propagato
New plants will soon form. Y
can also root African violets
standing the leaves, with sta
in a jar of water.
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J
6
J JACARANDAS | JASMINES JASMINES
JASMINESJasmines are renowned fortheir superb scent and theirbeautiful flowers. They varygreatly in their habit, sizeand perfume. Most originatefrom tropical and subtropicalareas and only some of themare f rost-hardy.
Coping with the coldCarolina jasmine (Gelsemium
sempervirens) This frost-hardy
evergreen twining climber from
the southern United States is neat
and not too vigorous. It has glossy
green foliage and small trumpet-
shaped, scented yellow flowers in
spring and autumn.
Common jasmine ( Jasminum
officinale) This easily cultivated
semi-evergreen climber from
China is frost-hardy. Its evening-
scented white flowers bloom from
summer to early autumn, set off
by glossy foliage.
Pink jasmine ( J. polyanthum)
The tall, twining, frost-hardy
pink jasmine from China is veryvigorous and can become invasive.
The pink buds open to almost
overpoweringly perfumed white
flowers in spring and summer.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum
jasminoides) A tough, versatile,
twining evergreen climber from
China, it is moderately frost-
hardy and makes an effective
groundcover. Dark green foliage
sets off the sweetly scented white
flowers over a long period in late
spring and early summer.
Winter jasmine ( J. nudiflorum)
The most cold-tolerant of all
jasmines, best suited to cool to
cold climates, winter jasmine is
a deciduous, rambling climber.
Masses of vivid yellow flowers
appear in winter and early spring.
Prefers warmthAngel wing jasmine ( J. nitidum)
The delicately star-shaped white
flowers are scented and about
2 cm across. This jasmine grows
JACARANDAS
A tree of variable sizePerhaps the most widely admired
of all tropical trees, Jacaranda
mimosifolia also grows well inwarm to temperate areas, being
able to withstand an occasional
light frost once it is established.
However, it does not grow nearly
as large in those areas as it does
in the subtropics, and before
planting you should look at
mature trees in your area to get
an idea of what size to expect.
Although deciduous, jacarandas
hold their leaves through winter,
only dropping them in spring.
A white jacarandaWhile blue jacarandas are more
admired and commonly seen, a
beautiful white variety, ‘Alba’, is
now available. It does not grow
quite as tall as blue jacarandas.
Bonus flowersAlthough the main flowers are
borne in late spring and early
summer, jacarandas will often
also bear flowers in autumn. It
depends on the particular season
and the individual tree. When the
flowers fall, they cover the ground
beneath the tree in a spectacular
coloured carpet. If you can, site
your tree in the middle of l awn
and enjoy the carpet without the
hazard of wet, slippery flowers ona path or pavers.
Give the tree its headA young jacaranda grows very
fast and upright for the first
3–4 years. Cutting it back during
this time to force branching can
cripple it. Leave it alone and it
will develop a shapely crown in
its own good time. Never lop an
established tree to try to control
its size. It will grow back strongly
but it will be years before it
flowers again.
Easy to growJacarandas are easily propagated
from seed, and in climates where
the trees flourish you will need to
be vigilant about self-sown seedsunless you want a jacaranda
forest. If you do wish to keep the
seedlings, transplant them to the
desired position when they are
quite young as large seedlings are
more difficult to establish.
best in the subtropics, flowering
from late spring through summer.
Lemon-scented jasmine
( J. azoricum) This evergreen
climber has highly scented white
flowers, which appear in summer,
opening from deep pink buds.
Here is a jasmine that is easy to
control and will grow as a shrub
when pruned.
Shrubby jasminesYellow or primrose jasmine
( J. mesnyi) is a tall shrub with
arching branches. It makes a good
informal hedge, and tolerates hot
and dry conditions. The Arabian
jasmine ( J. sambac ) is a small
shrub or vine with superbly
fragrant white flowers in spring
and summer. It thrives in a warm
to tropical climate. There are
lovely double-flowered forms.
Pink jasmine
Star jasm
Carolina jasmine
JAPANESEWINDFLOWERS see page 142
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Button mu
The commo
Agaricus b
Chestnut mushroom and
Swiss brown mushroom
The brown-capped
Agaricus bisporus.
Enok
The
culti
Flam
velu
Oyster mushroom
This mushroom
belongs to the
Pleurotus genus.Shiitake mushroom
The very popular Asian mushroom,
also listed as Lentinus edodes.
M
8
M MURRAYAS | MUSHROOMSMULCH | MURRAYAS
MULCHA layer of mulch spread over your garden bed s will conserve soilmoisture and reduce your garden’s water needs. And because itexcludes light, mulch will also suppress the growth of weeds.
MURRAYAS
Sweetly scentedSome common names of Murraya
paniculata, such as mock orange
or orange jessamine, reflect the
perfume of this evergreen shrub
with its overwhelmingly fragrant
cream flowers. It is ideal if you
need a fast-growing front hedge,
or to screen a fence or divide up
garden areas.
Warm and frost-freeMurrayas flourish in warm,
frost-free climates. They do best
in fertile, well-drained soil, so
when planting, dig in plenty of
compost or well-rotted manure.
They usually reach around 2–3 m
tall, and have small, dark, glossy
MUSHROOMCOMPOST
Where does it come from?Commercially grown mushrooms
are cultivated on a compost made
up mainly of horse manure.
When the mushrooms have been
harvested, the compost is sold in
bulk by the cubic metre or, more
expensively, in prepacked bags
at garden centres and nurseries.
Mulch or manureMushroom compost is a good
garden mulch or manure, as it
contains both humus and plantfoods. However, it can be overly
alkaline and cause burning or
chlorosis. Always check the pH
before using it in your garden – it
should not exceed 8 when applied
to most soils. Sometimes, it can be
as high as 11.0.
MUSHROOMS
Fungi kitsMushroom enthusiasts can raise
their favourite fungi at home. Kits
are available that will provide
regular crops for 8–12 weeks. A
kit consists of mushroom spawn,
some coarse compost, a growing
container and a bag of soil-like
material called ‘casing’, which is a
mixture of peat and chalk or peat
and lime. Mix the spawn with the
compost; add the casing 2 weeks
later and lightly water during the
final stages of growth. The first
crop should be ready 8–9 weeks
after the spawn and compost are
mixed, provided the temperature
does not drop below 16°C.
Gourmet varietiesOyster, shiitake, chicken-of-the-
woods and other more unusual
mushrooms can be raised on logs,
which can be bought already
inoculated with the fungus as kits
from specialist suppliers. All you
have to do is place them in a
shady spot in the garden and wait
for mushrooms to start sprouting.Also check on the internet to see
the latest varieties on offer.
Natural or artificialLoose organic materials, such as
compost, straw or woodchips, are
easy to apply and often improve
the soil; inorganic materials such
as pebbles and gravel last well
and create a dry environment.
There are also living mulches and
sheet mulches. Choose a mulch
to suit your garden based on the
mulch’s function and appearance.
Living mulchGroundcovers form a living mulch
of plants that spread out, shade
their own root zones and prevent
weeds from germinating. Plant
them at the closest recommended
spacing to give quick coverage.
Sheet mulchesSheet mulches smother perennial
weeds and stop windborne weed
seeds. You can use old carpet or
newspapers (only pages without
coloured ink), or buy mulch mat
or weed mat in rolls or pre-cut
squares. Cover a new bed with
use Mulch mat
1 Thoroughly prepare the soil
in a new garden bed and rake
it level. Add any slow-release
fertiliser and also install driplineirrigation if using.
2 Spread out the mulch mat
over the soil. Secure it well by
burying the edges or anchoring
them with pins or stones.
3 Cut a cross in the mat and
peel back the flaps. Plant
the plant through the hole,
then tuck the flaps back so
weeds can’t grow
in the gaps.
4 When you’ve
finished planting,
cover the mat with a layer
of bark chips or gravel.
Proper pickingSnap off mushrooms at the b
or twist them free of the soil
not take the heads alone. Als
to minimise rot, do not cut th
stems. Remove any stumps,
pieces of stem and other deb
minimise the growth of mou
which may stop new mushro
forming. To encourage furth
cropping, it is a good idea to
any holes in the compost.
For best flavourMushrooms taste best if coo
and eaten immediately after
are picked. They will store fo
few days in a paper bag in th
refrigerator, but they should
used as soon as possible.
the sheet mulch before planting,then cover it with a thin layer of
gravel or bark chips.
First things firstThe time to apply mulch is when
the soil is moist but not cold.
Fertilise your garden beforehand,
and if you are installing dripline
irrigation, lay the dripline first,
too. When working with organic
mulches, damp down the material
and always wear gloves and a
dust mask to protect against
airborne Legionella bacteria.
Applying mulchThe mulch should be deep enough
to exclude light completely from
the soil surface. Loose mulch
should be 5 cm thick. It can be
laid straight onto the soil or on
top of overlapping thicknesses
of wet newspaper or mulch mat.
Never pile mulch up around plant
stems or tree trunks, as the high
humidity this creates can cause
fungal diseases.
green leaves right to the ground.
But they can be kept clipped to
any size with occasional pruning
during the growing season, or
even clipped into topiary shapes.
Take no chancesBe wary of folklore tests for edib
fungi such as ‘If the cap peels, yo
eat it’. Many such tales have prov
be wrong – sometimes fatally so
be safe, you should never eat an
fungus unless it has been positividentified as edible.
identify Mushrooms
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P
10
P PATIOSPATHS
make space on a PatJust a few square metres of
are enough to create a seatin
adjacent to a house. Rememb
leave enough space for peopl
back their chairs from the ta
A patio that acts as an enter
area adjacent to the house sh
space for tables and chairs a
umbrella without blocking a
the house to the garden.
Providing shadeFrom midspring to midautumn,
overhead shade is essential for
comfort and safety. Solid shade
is cast by walls, fences or densely
foliaged trees. Lattice screens
provide lighter, dappled shade. A
pergola with deciduous climbers
provides all-day dappled shade in
summer, while a plant-clad arch
creates a pleasant arbour.
Often it is best to experiment with
temporary shade before investing
in a more permanent screen. For
example, an umbrella can be moved
about the patio and put away when
not needed. You may decide to have
an awning erected. Awnings can
be wound out by hand or electric
motor, and provide protection from
light rain, too. A canvas gazebo
protects from sun and light rain but
is time-consuming to erect.
PATHS
Path stylePaths provide lines of movement
around the garden. Straight paths
are business-like, being direct
and formal in appearance. Curved
or winding paths will give a more
relaxed, informal feel, gently
leading you through the garden.
Planning a pathA main path should be at least
1.2 m wide, while minor paths
should be at least 60 cm wide.
The slope of a path and drainage
should be taken into account
when deciding on materials. Any
type of material can be used on
level ground, but where there is
an incline of more than 6 per cent,
a solid surface is best.
Decide whether you want a porous
path (such as gravel) or a solid
paved one, and whether it shouldhave a brick or other decorative
edging. If you need to deal with
a slope, a curved path could wind
up the slope, but a straight path
will need steps or a ramp.
See also Paving
PATIOS
Choosing the siteBefore beginning work on a new
patio, consider what aspect it
will have. If the garden is north-
facing, you can build as close to
the house as you like because it
won’t cast shadow on the patio. If
the aspect is southerly, it may be
better to site the patio far enoughfrom the house to prevent its
shadow falling across the patio.
Levelling upIf the patio will adjoin the house,
the level of the paving must be at
least 15 cm below the damp
course. If the site slopes sharply
away from the house you may
need to build a low retaining wall
to contain the soil and hardcore
needed to raise the patio’s outer
edge. If it slopes towards the
house, you will need to level the
ground and build a retaining wall
to hold back the soil.
Rain and the patioGood drainage is vital. When
laying the patio, allow for a fallaway from the house of about
2.5 cm in every 1.5 m. If the fall is
towards the house and levelling
the site is impossible, you must
construct a drainage channel
between the edge of the patio and
the house wall. This will take rain
run-off into an existing drain or a
specially constructed soakaway.
Weed preventionFor a timber deck, check that the
timber has been pressure-treated.
Before laying the deck, cover the
area with mulch mat or heavy-
duty plastic sheeting, perforatedto allow water to drain away. This
will prevent weeds from growing
up through the slats.
On paved patios, joints between
the pavers are usually filled with
mortar, which obstructs weeds.
make a simple gravel PathFor a simple permanent path that is easy
to keep tidy, install edging boards
and lay gravel over mulch mat.Stepping stones could be
bedded into the gravel for
variety and to give a
firmer feel underfoot.
Many plants will self-
seed in the gravel
for a softer, more
natural effect.
1 Use pegs and string
to mark the path’s
line. Excavate the area
to a depth of 80 mm.
2 Construct the sides
with pressure-treated
75 mm wide timber
planks. Brace this frame-
work with 200 mm pegs
hammered in and nailed
to planks at both ends.
3 If you do not want
a sharp turn, create
gentler curves by cutting
the edging planks into
shorter lengths.
4
Staple or tack mulch
mat to the inside of
the edging planks.
5 Cover the mulch mat
with no more than
50 mm of gravel – or use
bark chips. Level and
tidy with a plastic rake.
But if the gaps are filled only
sand, you may need to treat t
occasionally with a herbicid
Sunny patio plantsGrow drought-tolerant plant
in large containers to minim
watering. Try African daisie
agapanthus, lavender, rosem
and succulents. On a small puse only a few large pots and
make the most of hanging ba
and window boxes.
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12 Hybrid tea rose ‘Double Delight’
Floribunda rose ‘ Honey Perfume’ Gallica rose ‘ Charles de Mills’
Wild rose
RosesRoses have been cherished by gardeners for
centuries, grown in rose beds, mixed with annuals,
bulbs or low-growing perennials, trained over arbours or
showcased as single specimens. There are a number of different types.
Floribunda rosesFloribunda, or cluster-flowered, rose bushes will give
continuous colour throughout summer and autumn.
They produce multiple blooms on each stem, which
are carried all over the bush.
✷‘Bonica’ ✷ ‘China Doll’ ✷ ‘Friesia’ ✷ ‘Iceberg’ ✷ ‘La Sevillana’
✷ ‘Pink Parfait’ ✷ ‘Sexy Rexy’ ✷ ‘Regensberg’
Miniature and
groundcover rosesMiniature roses have small blooms and foliage,
usually borne on small bushes less than 60 cm high.
Groundcover roses have a low, dense growth habit,
with spreading rather than upright branches. They
often grow to 1 m high by 1.5 m wide.
Miniature ‘Cricket’ ✷ ‘Dresden Doll’ ✷ ‘Magic Carousel’
✷ ‘Miss Daisy’ ✷ ‘Pride ’n’ Joy’ ✷ ‘Starina’
Groundcovers ‘Gold Magic Carpet’ ✷ ‘Hot Chilli’
✷ ‘Meidiland’ ✷ ‘Nozomi’ ✷ ‘Ralph’s Creeper’
✷ ‘Sea Foam’ ✷ ‘White Flower Carpet’
Hybrid tea roses The blooms of hybrid tea, or large-flowered, roses
have the classic rose shape, with one large flower
borne at the top of a long, straight stem that is ideal
for picking. They flower in distinct flushes from earlysummer to autumn.
✷ ‘Aotearoa’✷ ‘Blue Moon’ ✷ ‘Diamond Jubilee’
✷ ‘Double Delight’ ✷ ‘Fragrant Cloud’ ✷ ‘Ingrid Bergman’
✷ ‘Just Joey’ ✷ ‘Maria Callas’ ✷ ‘Midas Touch’ ✷ ‘Mister Lincoln’
✷ ‘Papa Meilland’ ✷ ‘Pascali’ ✷ ‘Princesse de Monaco’
Climbing and rambling roses These roses add an extra dimension to the garden.
Climbers can be grown on a wall, fence or screen,
while supple-stemmed ramblers can be trained over
arbours and pergolas.
Climbers ‘Albertine’ ✷ ‘Altissimo’✷ ‘Gold Bunny’
✷ ‘Golden Showers’ ✷ ‘Handel’ ✷ ‘Lamarque’
✷ ‘Lorraine Lee’ ✷ ‘Pierre de Ronsard’ ✷ ‘Titian’
Ramblers ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ ✷ Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’
✷ ‘Seagull’ ✷ ‘Veilchenblau’
Old-fashioned rosesHeritage Roses were bred before 1867, while Old
World Roses look similar but were bred after that
date. These old-fashioned roses have blooms of
exquisite shape with a delightful scent. They include
the Gallica, Damask, Moss, Alba, China, Tea, Bourbon
and Hybrid Musk roses.
✷ ‘Charles de Mills’ ✷ ‘Felicia’ ✷ ‘Heritage’ ✷ ‘La Reine Victoria’
✷ ‘Lady Hillingdon’ ✷ ‘Mutabilis’✷ ‘Quatre Saisons’ ✷ ‘Tuscany’
Wild or species roses These are roses as found in the wild. Their flowers
may not be big or showy but they are beautiful
because of their simplicity. Most wild roses are
single-flowering. They often have added features,
such as interesting foliage or colourful rose hips.
✷R. canina ✷R. chinensis ✷R. moyesii ✷R. rugosa and cvs
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14
WW WATER TANKSWATER TANKS
WATER TANKS
Making a choiceInstalling a rainwater tank is a
big project, both financially and
logistically. Take some time to
research the different sizes and
styles available, to ensure that
you end up with the tank that has
the capacity you need and the look
you want at the price you prefer.Also make sure that your roof and
gutters are in the right condition
for rainwater collection.
The right sizeTanks range in size from a
capacity of about 300 litres up to
50,000 litres or more. When you’re
deciding what size tank you need,
you must consider the size of your
catchment area (that is, the area
of your roof surface), the amount
of rainfall in your area and the
sort of applications for which the
stored water is intended.
If you’re only using the tank for
outdoor applications, such as
watering the garden and washing
the car, it would use a little less
than 100,000 litres of water a
year. In most cases, this need can
be met by a tank with a capacity
of between 2000 and 4000 litres.
Above-ground tanksA tank elevated above ground has
the following considerations:
✸ It is easy to notice a crack or
a leak and deal with it.
✸ The elevated position produces
better water pressure.
✸ It is easier to drain the tank
when required, for example forthe biannual maintenance.
✸ It is usually less expensive.
✸ It takes up land space.
✸ It is exposed to UV radiation,
wind and damage from bushfires.
Below-ground tanksWith a tank underground or under
the house, consider the following:
✸ It doesn’t intrude on land space.
✸ A pump is required to access
the stored water.
✸ It is more difficult to detect
leaks or water contamination and
to address any problems.
✸ Maintenance can be more
labour-intensive, and expensive.
The right typeWhen reviewing the options,
think about the logistics and cost
of installation as well as what you
intend to use the rainwater for.
set up a Water harvesting systemMost gardeners configure their rainwater-harvesting
system in one of three ways.
Equipping the systemA tank must be fitted with devices that
will keep the collected rainwater clean
and ensure that you can access it as
you need it. These devices include:
✸ Rain heads
✸ Gutter screens and guards
✸ First-flush water diverter
✸ Taps, also known as draw-off points
✸ An overflow outlet
✸ Mains top-up system (only required
if the collected tank water will be used
inside the house)
✸ Backflow prevention device
✸ Pipes for a wet or a dry system
(A wet system has its pipes below the
tank, so the pipes are permanently full
of water – they do not dry out. A drysystem’s pipes are above the tank and
remain dry until it rains, when they
channel the rainwater to the tank then
dry out again.)
✸ Pump for water pressure.
Polyethylene tanksLightweight polyethylene, or
‘poly’, tanks are UV-resistant and
immune to rust. They come in
corrugated cylindrical forms that
mimic the shape of the classic
metal tank, but also in a variety
of shapes that suit different
applications. Some polyethylene
tanks can be installed under the
ground. These tough tanks willeasily withstand bumps and
knocks, but heat from bushfires
will damage them irreparably.
Steel tanksThe classic Australian rainwater
tank – a cylinder of corrugated
steel – is still in production and
certainly has enduring popularity.
There are colour-coated and
galvanised-finish tanks available
that are lined internally with a
high-grade plastic surface. This
improves water quality and may
increase the life of the tank. Metal
tanks must be installed above
ground on a concrete platform
or on a suitable metal stand.
Concrete tanksConcrete tanks generally sit
directly on the ground or they are
installed underground. Those that
are well designed and constructed
can last a lifetime and should be
considered in rural or semi-rural
areas because they will not meltor buckle in bushfires. In urban
areas, underground concrete
tanks built in new residences can
be topped with load-bearing lids
and installed under driveways,
garages or other concrete slabs.
However, there can be issues with
access for general maintenance or
for repairing cracks or leaks.
BladdersSeveral manufacturers produce
rainwater bladders, pioneered in
Australia. They store water in
large sacks of flexible, puncture-
resistant PVC tucked away in the
sub-floor area of the house. The
bladders sit inside protective steel
frames and are installed below
the floorboards or under the deckof the house. They are particularly
suited to small properties. They
come in a range of sizes and can
be pieced together in a modular
system to fit perfectly between
the piers of a sub-floor area.
Roof and gutterThe size of your roof affects the
volume of water your tank will
catch; the type of roof will affect
water quality. Ask the tank
supplier about the suitability
of your roofing material and the
tank’s warranty beforehand.
Gutters form the first collection
point from the roof and they must
have the correct angle of fall to
the catchment outlets. Keep the
roof and gutters as clean aspossible, and fit mesh screens
to the gutters to divert leaf and
other debris away from the roof.
Also fix gutter outlets to the
underside of gutters so that the
flow of water is not obstructed.
Pump connecte
irrigation system
pump is necessar
provide the press
required for a lar
complex irrigatio
system or a syste
connected to spr
or sprinkler head
The rainwater ta
can be above gro
or below ground.
Tap with basic
irrigation This
relatively simple
configuration for
irrigation has a
dedicated above-
ground tank with
tap, connected to
soaker hose or dr
system. It operat
by gravity.
Basic tank This
the simplest type
installation, with
tank set on a stan
and a tap outlet.
stored water canaccessed for gard
as well as for fill
buckets for wash
cars and pets or f
children’s play.Slimlinesteel tank
Bladder tank
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GA RDENINGS E C R ETS
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