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geejay
14-12-2008, 03:42 PM
after the recent rains its a good time to water proof the garden with inexpensive paper/cardboard and compost on top of soil.earthworms enjoy the cardboard/paper making for a healtheir soil.when the winter rains come make a good size space around trees/shrubs so the plants can breath and help prevent fungas colar rot.

ian
20-12-2008, 11:36 PM
i think plastic would be a better and more effective way of water proofing a garden :p

ian
20-12-2008, 11:37 PM
just to clarify danz post should actually be before mine the gremlins strike again

danz
20-12-2008, 11:44 PM
sounds good to me,,

geejay
09-01-2009, 12:10 PM
rains tanks,dripers and using cardboard to water proof our gardens has kept them going while we were away for 3 wks. :)

another tip is to spray plants with a anti-transpiration spray that lessens moisture loss through the leaves i.e vapour gard. :)

use roses as they are proving themselves drought hardy. :)

geejay
02-02-2009, 04:02 PM
worked today at waterproofing a garden using carboard and 7mm pine bark/mulch.The garden is tightly planted,to make easier work of placing the cardboard cut it with a stanley knife in squares that will fit in the gaps between the plants.Place squares around the root zone leaving a gap around the stem area.I briefly dipped the squares in a solution of seasol to feed the plants as the carboard breaks down.Placed 3cm mulch on top of carboard.This garden has a drip system and we reduced the watering in diffrent zones to fit in with the reduced water requirement from waterproofing. :)

Bluey
02-02-2009, 04:20 PM
i think plastic would be a better and more effective way of water proofing a garden :p

Personally I won't use plastic in a garden. Hate the stuff because it never breaks down and won't let any moisture through it and you will always have to get rid of it sooner or later I prefer to mulch with an organic mulch that breaks down and feeds the soil. Just have to make sure you use enough.

I have just got a customer who had her front lawn removed by a local franchise (not Jimbo or VIP) and had mulch laid on the beds and pebble paths put in where the lawn used to be around a central garden bed.

She got me in for some handyman work. I had a look at the work she had done and it was pretty shoddy. It was only done last week and already the weeds are poking through. Mulch is only about an inch thick and not laid behind her rose bushes at all. I asked how much and it cost her $3000. These blokes ripped her off in my opinion.

geejay
09-02-2009, 04:23 PM
worked today at waterproofing a garden using carboard and 7mm pine bark/mulch.The garden is tightly planted,to make easier work of placing the cardboard cut it with a stanley knife in squares that will fit in the gaps between the plants.Place squares around the root zone leaving a gap around the stem area.I briefly dipped the squares in a solution of seasol to feed the plants as the carboard breaks down.Placed 3cm mulch on top of carboard.This garden has a drip system and we reduced the watering in diffrent zones to fit in with the reduced water requirement from waterproofing. :)

checked this garden today,after the hell on earth day on saturday i was apprehensive,need not have worried even the elephant ears survived,the mulching treatment worked a treat with anti-transpiration spray,thank goodness.

Bluey
09-02-2009, 05:10 PM
checked this garden today,after the hell on earth day on saturday i was apprehensive,need not have worried even the elephant ears survived,the mulching treatment worked a treat with anti-transpiration spray,thank goodness.


Good to see it worked mate. I am surprised at the number of people over this way who have no mulch at all and then wonder why their garden is dying. They say "oh but I water it" but have no idea how to work to retain that water in the ground.

ian
09-02-2009, 05:24 PM
Personally I won't use plastic in a garden. Hate the stuff because it never breaks down and won't let any moisture through it and you will always have to get rid of it sooner or later I prefer to mulch with an organic mulch that breaks down and feeds the soil. Just have to make sure you use enough.
bluey mulch is a very effective way of drought proofing a garden but i have found plastic is much better for water proofing something :p

geejay
10-02-2009, 08:00 PM
a tip before waterproofing gardens is to water deeply the night before,this will allow the plants to hydrate,then waterproof the next morning to lock the water in.

Kim
19-02-2009, 08:41 PM
Geejay do u advertise to waterproof gardens or just get asked? I found putting manure under the cardboard works a treat at breaking it down and holding the moisture, also feeds the plants for months.

geejay
19-02-2009, 09:17 PM
waterproof another garden today that took a hamering in the dry hot nw.the first waterproofing is looking good. :) very happy client :) :) :)

geejay
19-02-2009, 09:57 PM
no adverts just waterproofing for my client base which keeps me busy enough :) it hard yakka in the heat :( :eek:

tree beard
19-02-2009, 10:21 PM
anti-transpiration spray,thank goodness.

Hi geejay

Got my 'L' plates on again. :wave-hi: what exactly is an anti-transpiration spray. Is this a seasonal spray or a limited application spray and is it what they use to reduce shock when transplanting as well???

Its the little things you say... :i dunno: :confused: just gotta find out some times!

Thanks

geejay
20-02-2009, 05:53 AM
same polymer used for reducing stress during transplanting,frost resistance,etc,lasts 2wks on plant.