Gryswater
Troef
die
Droogte
every drop of
water in a drought
Using
deur Gela van Heerden
In brief
P
assionate gardener with a charming “live and let live” style of cultivating,
Gela van Heerden relates how she and husband Pieter van Heerden, a
longtime SABI member, moved into a new town house in Bloemfontein in
August 2015. This was just weeks before the first water restrictions in 32
years were declared in Bloemfontein, a city famous for its flowers. Moving from
a large property with a borehole and an automated sprinkler system to a smaller
property in the Free State’s drought conditions was certainly a challenge for the
couple who had brought their herbs, aloes and geraniums in pots to plant. Gela
tells how they rose to the challenge, initially inspired by their neighbours’ use of
washing machine grey water. As she jokes, the gardeners of Fleur La Grandé
“are not too grand to use a bucket system to save their plants.” They started
using the grey water from their washing machine (giving 196 litres per one large
bundle, approximately 400 litres from two bundles) and showers for starters. In
the process – and with many buckets used and carried - they developed an overall
Greener and water-saving system for their new home. The water restrictions in
Bloemfontein have seen a rise in the demand for physiotherapy services, with the
carrying of buckets of grey water to thirsty plants taking a toll on people’s backs.
Be inspired, says Gela, to collect every drop of your own domestic water for your
plants – whether you are in conditions of drought or not, the reality is that South
Africa is arid.
If you would like us to mail you this story in English, please email the editor
[email protected].
Ons het op 1 Augustus 2015 van ‘n
groot hoekerf-tuin - met ‘n b