Benoni gets almost all its rain in summer, often as afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are dry, with frost. Water restrictions and outages also happen, so a garden that needs less water saves money and stays healthy.
Choose plants that suit the Highveld
- Indigenous and frost-hardy plants: wild garlic (Tulbaghia), agapanthus, aloes, spekboom in sheltered spots, wild rosemary and indigenous grasses all cope with dry winters.
- Group plants by water need: keep the thirsty plants in one bed near the house, and use hardier plants further out.
- Less lawn: lawn usually uses the most water. Replacing a strip of lawn with beds, paving or groundcover makes a big difference.
Mulch every bed
A 5–7 cm layer of bark chips, compost or straw keeps the soil cool, slows evaporation and keeps weeds down. Top it up in early spring and again before winter.
Water smarter
- Water early in the morning or late in the afternoon, never in midday heat.
- Water deeply and less often, so roots grow down rather than staying shallow.
- Drip irrigation in beds uses far less water than sprinklers.
- After a good summer storm, switch off the irrigation for a few days.
- Check and follow the current City of Ekurhuleni water restrictions before setting irrigation times.
Catch the summer rain
A rain tank on a downpipe fills fast in a Highveld thunderstorm, and gives you water for beds and pots in the dry months. If you have a borehole, a garden can run mostly on it. Have the water tested first. See our borehole sister site.
What to ask your garden service
A good garden service can mulch beds, adjust irrigation timers by season, replant with hardier species and leave clippings as mulch where it suits. When you get garden service quotes, ask whether these are included in the monthly fee.