GROW YOUR OWN: Gardening expert Reg Kidd says your vegetable garden can survive the drought. Photo: JUDE KEOGH
Vegetables must have adequate water and they can be some of the hardest plants to grow in a drought.
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And with Orange's Level 5 water restrictions and a lack of rain it can be hard to keep them growing.
But gardening expert Reg Kidd says some clever strategies can ensure your veggie patch is still productive.
SELECT THE RIGHT VEGETABLES
- You should group vegetables with the same watering requirements together in your veggie patch
- Position vegetables that need the most water close to your water supply
- LOW WATER USE: Turnips, parsnips, beetroot, carrots, onions, shallots, swedes, asparagus, rhubarb, silverbeet and Jerusalem artichokes.
- MODERATE WATER USE: Beans, cauliflower, cabbages, tomatoes, radishes, zucchini and leeks.
- HIGH WATER USE: Lettuce, celery, sweet corn and Chinese cabbage.
STRATEGIES
- Mulch vegetables with organic mulch. Do not put too much up against the stem to avoid rot. Make sure the soil is moist before putting mulch down
- Create windbreaks around vegetables. This cuts down water loss from the soil and leaves.
- Keep vegetable beds free of weeds.
- Start seedlings indoors or under shelter and transplant outside when established
- Construct portable shade panels for protection during extremely hot weather
- Fertilise regularly as they have high nutrient requirements. Avoid dry granular fertilisers. Use liquid or soluble fertilisers.
- Install a drip irrigation system that waters at ground level
- Apply water below the mulch
- Consider trench watering. Build a small trench around plants which allows the water to soak in slowly
- Half submerge bottled, cans or other containers with holes punched in them beside plants. Fill with water and allow to soak in.
- Grey water can be used with caution. It should go onto the soil and below the mulch and not onto the plant. Shower water is possibly the safest but avoid any build up of salts.
- Shade cloth is cheap and has the added bonus of protection from birds. Open to allow bees access for pollination.
- Don't forget a scarecrow. They are great to get children and grandchildren involved in gardening.
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