TIPS TO HELP REDUCE WATER USAGE IN YOUR GARDEN

During the wet season our plants can get enough rain to survive and thrive on their own. So there’s no need to water when it's raining. Put your feet up and let nature take care of nature.

Mulch minimises evaporation and traps moisture in the soil where your plants need it most. So give your garden a good covering to make sure your watering efforts aren’t offered up as a sacrifice to the sun gods.

Knowing how much to water, comes down to knowing your plants. So practice a bit of tough love to work out how much water they really need, and enjoy the benefits of a lower maintenance garden.

Forgot to turn the sprinkler off? Fit a tap timer and you’ll never have to remember to turn the hose on, or off, ever again. And you can get your hands on this modern wonder of tap technology at most hardware stores, with budget options available right up to super-tech.

Fitting a drip irrigation system is the way to go. A drip system will minimise water wastage that comes with other systems, like overspray, wind and evaporation, and get that precious moisture down into the soil where your thirsty little plants can drink it right up.

When the rain hits the ground, a rain sensor will shut your automatic watering system down. Because why would you water when the rain’s doing the job for you? Garden smarter, not harder.

Fitting a trigger nozzle to your garden hose helps control how much water you really use, and for how long. And let’s face it, there’s nothing better than admiring your garden with a hose in hand is there?

If you’re looking to feed your soils, it’s good to know they have different appetites when it comes to water. Clay soils drink their water slowly over long periods of time, while sandy soils love to be fed quickly over short periods of time. But be careful, clay soils don’t like being over watered - pay attention, and watch your garden thrive.