CREATE A WATER-WISE GARDEN!

The main focus behind creating a water wise garden is to create a garden which is both attractive and thrives with minimal water. Outdoor water use makes up a large percentage of residential water consumption (especially in the summer), and research indicates great savings can be made if water wise gardening techniques are applied. Water wise gardening means thinking about things like watering techniques, mulching, using organic material, plant selection and design.

Watering Techniques

Your garden plants probably need less water than you think. Watering little and often does not help, as the water does not penetrate deep into the ground and only encourages plants to develop shallow rooting systems (near the soil surface). One good soak during a 10 day period is more beneficial than a light watering daily.

You can find out if you need to water by digging a hole a spades depth and examining the soil, only watering if it feels dry to touch.

Water only in the cool of the morning or evening to prevent evaporation, use a watering can (great exercise), or use a hand-held hose, making sure that the plant gets the water where it needs it not running off.

When planting put a saucer shaped dip around the base of the plant so that when you water it pools around the plant.

Mulches

It helps if you stop the soil from drying out in the first place, by evaporation by the wind or sun. A mulch is simply a layer of material placed on the surface to stop weeds from flourishing, prevents water evaporation from the soil improving the condition of the soil.

Mulches can be made from various materials, such as bark chips, gravel, pea straw. We recommend a good bark mulch for most native plants. The thicker the layer of mulch the more effective it is, with one of 5-10 cm making a huge difference to water retention.

Organic Matter

Water retention in soils with organic matter is greater, use products such as compost or Sphagnum Moss when planting. These products all help to hold more moisture in the soil.

Design

Use dry hardy plants, and use plants that have similar soil and water needs together in the same garden beds

Plant Trees or Shrubs suitable for dry places

There are a wide range of plants that will survive a dry summer with minimal watering (once established), consider using some of the following species: