Waterwise

Water is a precious resource. Unfortunately some people who are connected to the town water supply are unaware of where their water comes from or how much they use. Queensland gardeners use approximately 465 000 000 litres of water per day! That’s an average of 205 Litres per person per day. Around 50% of treated drinking water provided to homes is used outside the house with sprinklers using up to 1000 Litres of water per hour. Even hosing the driveway uses 50 to 100 Litres of water.

WaterWise gardening helps conserve water, which means that we will have a reduced detrimental impact on our environment and you will also save money on your water bill! As a bonus, WaterWise gardens are generally low maintenance and this means less work and more time for you to relax. We all need to rethink how we use water, and it’s important to remember that we are all responsible for using this incredibly high value resource wisely.

It is important to plan your garden well. Here are a few tips for planning your WaterWise garden:

• Group plants with similar water needs together
• Use windbreaks (e.g. hedges or screens) to protect delicate plants
• Decrease the size of your lawn, as lawns generally use more water than gardens

The right soil is one of the keys to healthy plants. Sandy soils are low in organic matter and nutrients, so you may need to add manure, compost, or peat in order to retain moisture and nutrients in the soil.

Clay soils are very compact and you may need to add gypsum and organic matter to help plants grow and give water a better chance to penetrate to the plant roots.

Before you choose your plants for your WaterWise garden here are a few pointers to think about:

• Look at the size, shape, function and water requirements of each plant and make sure that it is the right plant for your needs
• Look for plants with leaves that use less water i.e. fine needle-like leaves, or waxy, or hairy leaves tend to be effective water users
• Native plants generally need less water and fewer nutrients, and these beautiful plants are suited to local conditions
• Look at what grows naturally in your area
• Ask your local Landcare nursery for help

Generally lawns need more water than other areas of your yard. Explore other options to lawn such as extending gardens, paving and adding ground cover. If you are laying turf, check-out the lawn type you plan to use, as some species need less water than others. Also, when mowing your lawn, don’t mow it too short – a slightly longer lawn means that less water will evaporate.

The most effective watering systems deliver water to the plant roots. Dripper systems, tap timers, trigger hoses, micro-irrigation systems, and weepers all assist in providing a WaterWise watering system. It is also more efficient to water either early in the morning or late in the evening as this reduces the amount of water lost by evaporation.

It is also important to note that giving plants a good soaking of water once or twice a week encourages the plant roots to grow deep and enable the plant to become more drought tolerant.

Mulch is really important; it can reduce evaporation by as much as 70%. To be effective you need to apply mulch at least 75mm thick - but ensure that it is clear of the trunk or stem of the plant. Mulch also decreases weeds, and provides a constant soil temperature for your plants. There is a wide variety of different mulches available e.g. peat, woodchips, compost, gravel, crushed brick, blue metal etc.

It is important to maintain your garden – prevention is better than cure! Here are some tips for maintaining your WaterWise garden:

• Check your irrigation system regularly for leaks
• Keep up the mulch
• Remove weeds – they use water too!
• Fix dripping taps (taps can waste up to 200 Litres per day)
• Use a broom, rake or blower vac rather than a hose – they don’t use any water.