- Green Lifestyle, Origin & Cultivation
About shade trees, verbena, and mulch.
Casuarina, eucalyptus, banana, and mango trees… When you walk through the coffee gardens in Peru or Papua New Guinea, you can hardly see it as a layman. These “plantations” are a green paradise – and not just for our organic coffee.
Kristin Oldenburg
I really have nothing to complain about. I’m sitting under the parasol in the backyard, the laptop in front of me, and I am writing about my favorite topic: Coffee (which is of course also part of this party in the form of an iced espresso). Even at 82 degrees, it’s possible to work outside as long as you are sitting in the shade. Speaking of shade: Did you know that our coffee grows under so-called shade trees? Depending on the location and the farmer, these are casuarinas, yam trees, bananas, papayas, etc., which are usually grown in small coffee gardens with 10-30 bushes. The great thing about them is: There is a great diversity of species, additional food for the farmers, the soils are healthy and thus, much less water is used. In the blog post with the short clip “Saving water with coffee?” we explain how exactly this works. Check it out. But for now, back to the garden.
The right plant in the right place at the right time.
I don’t know about you, but for me it’s a form of quality of life when something blooms in the backyard or on the balcony from February to November in the middle of the city. But of course, I also have a bad conscience when I “waste” several watering cans of drinking water every night. But what is the solution to that?
First: Take drought-resistant plants.
And that means: Those that you can find in the mountains or on sandy soils. For example, the mullein (Verbascum). You can often find it on the side of roads or bikeways. Very large, with lots of yellow flowers.
There are a few characteristics by which you can recognize the plants that are best in conserving water:
- They have small, recurved leaves, they evaporate less water than large ones (like the popular hydrangea). Example: Argentine verbena.
- Or they have thick, fleshy leaves that allow only little water to evaporate. (Example: stonecrop)
- Gray, hairy foliage as in lavender or sage is also a characteristic of less water consumption.
- Plants that have long, deep roots (e.g. roses) also cope better with drought than shallow-rooted plants (e.g. grasses)
Attention: Mediterranean plants and spices – thyme, rosemary & co. – need really dry or water-permeable soil, otherwise the roots will rot.
Second: Protect the ground.
And this is quite simple: Either you plant the bed or the flower box quite densely or cover it with a layer of mulch. For this you could use straw, hedge trimmings, hay, dried lawn clippings, leaves, sawdust, bark mulch, or slightly rotten compost. In France, I have also seen people use lama hair as mulch… I wonder if it works? No idea, but the flowers looked good. However, you should not use combed-out dog or cat hair, as the remnants of tick or flea repellents, medications, or shampoos are toxic to birds, which use the hair to pad out their nests.
Back to the plants. If you have the chance to plant your backyard, you should also think about windbreaks. So, if possible, place the hedge at the main windward side.
Third: Raise your plants to be resilient.
And that works through the water supply. If you water them a just little every day, the roots will spread rather superficially, and the plants will get stressed as soon as they do not get the usual amount of water. So, it is better to water less often, but with more water. The recommendation: 20 liters of water per square meter*. The water trickles deeper, the plant’s roots follow and can also supply themselves with water there. By the way, the right time to water is early in the morning. Then the soil is coolest, and evaporation is lowest. So, it’s like an early morning coffee for your flowers and herbs. And another tip: Water your plants as close to the ground as possible, this also reduces evaporation, and the water arrives where it is supposed to.
If you would like to know more: In the article “The courage to be chaotic” on our website you will find additional tips on biodiversity, seeds, and garden soil.
Happy gardening.
Source:
www.utopia.de/ratgeber/welche-pflanzen-vertragen-trockenheit-und-hitze-am-besten/
