WaterSense - in the garden

WaterSense Essentials
In the garden
WaterSense
makes sense…
in the garden.
Sensible watering in the garden
Everybody loves to have a garden which is healthy and alive. There are many
simple things we can do in our gardens to save water. Try some of these simple
tips:
•Water your garden in the cool of the early morning, or in the evening to
reduce water loss through evaporation.
Water used in the garden
and outdoors accounts for
40% of total household
water usage in an average
household in Tasmania.
It makes sense to be
water efficient outdoors
to keep both your garden
and your wallet in the
green.
•Water the roots and soil around plants rather than spraying the leaves and
flowers.
•Use deep mulch and add compost to your soil. These add nutrients and
help to retain moisture and reduce evaporation.
•If you are considering a watering system, install a drip irrigation system. It
will cut wastage by making sure the water goes only where you need it.
•Regularly check your outdoor taps, pipes and plumbing fixtures for leaks.
Just one dripping tap can waste 2,000 litres a month.
•Water gardens for longer, but less often, to promote deeper roots and
hardier, healthier, drought tolerant plants. Remember to only use a handheld hose (with trigger nozzle), a watering can, or install drip irrigation.
• Save the cold water while the shower or kitchen tap is warming up and use
it on the garden or pot plants.
•Try not to hose paths, patios and driveways. Use a broom, rake or outdoor
blower instead.
Lawns
• Apply a light top dressing to assist the establishment of a new lawn and
minimise the amount of water it requires. Talk to your local nursery or
landscape supplier about a suitable weed-free, sand based, organic top
dressing mix.
• Watering your lawn less often but for longer will help make your lawn
more drought resistant by encouraging deeper roots. Use a hand-held hose
to give it a good soaking occasionally (if rainfall isn’t doing the job).
• When mowing, cut only the top third of the leaf area of your lawn to
keep it longer, leaving it three centimetres or higher. Reduce water loss
even further by saving your lawn clippings to use as mulch on your lawn or
garden.
TasWater
WaterSense Essentials
In the garden
WaterSense makes sense…
in the garden.
Watering systems
Your garden
The type of watering system you use in your garden has
a huge impact on how much water you use. Choosing the
most efficient watering system to suit your garden could save
you heaps of water and money.
Garden or lawn irrigation can quickly use thousands of
litres, particularly if you are using multiple sprinklers or
spray heads.
Type
Water consumption
Garden hose
Standard sprinkler
Water efficient
sprinkler
Spray head
Micro spray head
Drip irrigation
720 litres / hour
600 litres / hour
300 litres / hour
450 litres / hour
50 litres / hour
9 litres per metre / hour
Drip irrigation is an extremely efficient option in the
right environment (up to 100 times more efficient than
sprinklers) because water gets directly to the roots of
the plants and is not wasted on leaves and flowers.
Because it is laid at the base of the plants, it works well
in conjunction with a thick mulch, which can reduce
moisture loss by 70%.
When using sprinklers, look for a water efficient rotator
sprinkler. Micro spray heads are also a popular option,
but remember the more you have, the more water will be
used.
Remember, the most important thing is to know how
much your plants need and don’t overwater.
Choosing the right plants
When choosing plants for your garden, try and select native species
wherever possible. Native plants should require minimal watering as
they are adapted to the local climate. Ask your local nursery or garden
supplier about the most suitable plants for the local environment.
Try and group plants with similar watering needs together when
planting new garden beds.
When deciding on a lawn type, go for slow growing, water saving
varieties like Palmetto. They have deep roots for drought tolerance and
they don’t need mowing as much as other varieties.
There are some terrific resources available on plants native to southern
Tasmania. NRM South has published a Native Gardens planting and
landscaping guide for the southern region of Tasmania. Free copies of
this guide are available on request from TasWater, or by contacting NRM
South.
TasWater