Good Gardens with Less Water (Csiro Publishing Gardening Guides)

Description

It is possible to have a great garden anywhere in Australia, even under the toughest water restrictions. Good Gardens with Less Water will show you how. A companion to Kevin Handreck’s best-selling Gardening Down-Under, this new book is a practical guide to gardening with limited water. This beautifully illustrated, full-color book contains a wealth of information on such key topics as: how to improve soil structure to maximize the retention of water for use by plants; selecting drought-tolerant native and exotic plants; working out how much water to apply to different types of plants; choosing the best lawn grass for your climate; rainwater harvesting and use; and how to avoid problems when greywater is used in the garden. With specific chapters devoted to watering systems and equipment, mulches, planting techniques and potted plants, this book offers practical solutions for anyone who wishes to garden sustainably. CONTENTS......Page 6 PREFACE......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 1 Causes of water shortages......Page 12 2 Plants and water......Page 16 3 Know your soil......Page 40 4 Organic matter and soils......Page 50 5 Your soil is a reservoir......Page 56 6 Water quality......Page 66 7 Delivering water to your plants......Page 78 8 Garden watering systems......Page 96 9 Mulches: the facts......Page 106 10 New gardens and new gardens from old......Page 116 11 Dealing with too much water......Page 124 12 Lawns......Page 128 13 Water for plants in pots......Page 142 14 Testing potting mixes......Page 158 Appendix 1 Sources of extra information......Page 161 Index......Page 164