Harvesting 'grey water' for drip irrigation

Irrigation is an essential part of producing good crops, even in a vegetable garden or home orchard. Here's a cost-effective way of ensuring that your fruit and vegetables get enough water, says Shane Brody.

- Shane Brody

Too much or too little water can have dramatic effects on the quality of vegetables and fruit. Oranges, for example, can become dehydrated, while still looking good externally. Such fruit may be dry and tasteless.

Vegetables can develop root problems if they remain waterlogged for long periods.

The idea is to keep the ground moist at all times, but not waterlogged.

Beds should not have visible aboveground water for long periods. If you clench damp soil in your fist, you should be able to make a 'mud cake'. The soil should not squelch through your fingers: it is too wet in this case.

Get to know and understand the type of soil in your beds. Water drains away far more quickly in sandy soils than in clay-type soils. Use a mixture of good (not clay) topsoil in beds at a rate of about 50%, and make up the balance with manure and compost.