Visit Windhoek’s new indigenous plant nursery

•Luise HoffmannTHE ongoing drought and the scarcity of water are taking an increasingly visible toll on gardens and plants in Windhoek and elsewhere.

What can every resident do to counteract this sad state of events? Lawns can be replaced by pebbles or an artificial lawn and flowers can fairly quickly be replaced once it does rain and the water situation has improved. It is first and foremost the trees we should aim to keep alive until that time, because a sizeable tree takes at least 10 years to grow.

Trees provide shade in our increasingly hot summers. They absorb noise. They also absorb carbon, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Their roots bind soil and prevent topsoil from being washed away or blown around as dust.

Remember that indigenous shrubs and trees and most of the succulent plants are very well adapted to our dry and very variable conditions. So, if you wish to replace any plants that have succumbed to the drought, visit our first entirely indigenous nursery in Pionierspark, established by Carol Steenkamp, who has a passion for trees and Ivor Powell, who takes a keen interest in succulents. All their plants have been raised from seed or cuttings.

Visits to their nursery are by appointment only – please call Carol at 081 127 3958 or Ivor at 081 127 1219. They are happy to advise you on soil and water requirements, frost sensitivity, and other relevant matters.

Our indigenous trees initially form quite a long taproot or an extensive root system before any impressive growth is visible above ground. It is therefore advisable to plant quite small seedlings, as their roots will not be damaged as severely as those of larger seedlings during transplanting.

A seedling that is transplanted early in life will eventually grow better and faster than an older, taller seedling whose roots have already become entangled inside the plastic bag. Of course, a point to consider in this respect is how well the newly transplanted seedling can be protected from trampling and other accidental damage.

If there is a lot of traffic where you wish to plant the tree it is better to choose a larger and more visible seedling.

A very useful book on this topic is ‘Making the Most of Indigenous Trees’ by Fanie & Julye-Ann Venter; ISBN 1 875093 05 2; Briza Publications, which has detailed descriptions of the trees/shrubs, their uses and how to grow them. The book is about South African trees and shrubs but at least 75% of the species mentioned also occur naturally in Namibia.

Many succulents are fairly easy to propagate from cuttings you may be able to obtain from friends or neighbours. Pieces of the plant can be rooted in a sandy medium in semi-shade during the warm months from November to February and then planted out. Many of them like to grow among rocks, which store the warmth of the sun and protect the soil from evaporation.

Water succulents sparingly, especially during winter, and try not to water them at all during very cold spells.

Please remember that no cactus is indigenous to the African continent – many species are highly invasive and are an even greater threat to our environment and to our agriculture than the indigenous invasive species. Do not plant them at all!

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.