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Home / Environment / Sustainable Living Advice / Garden / Water Efficient Gardening

Environment

By reducing our consumption of water in the garden we live more lightly on this earth. With almost every river and wetland system in Australia under stress from human withdrawal of water and the human need for water continuing to expand, this action is becoming increasingly vital.

Wellbeing

Clean fresh water from the tap is, for most people in the world, a luxury. As the Australian water supply is stretched at the expense of our waterways, we expose ourselves to toxic algae, chemically treated water and an increased vulnerability to severe drought. Many people across the globe are not so lucky, and a lack of clean water and associated diseases kills tens of millions of children each year. So water wisely, and conserve this precious resource.

Water Efficient Gardening

Clean water is essential to life on earth, yet it is a scarce resource comprising only 3% of the world's water. Most fresh water is stored in ice caps, and below the surface of the earth. Despite the scarcity, global consumption of water has been increasing each decade. Australians use about 30% of their household water consumption on their gardens.

We are in the grip of water shortages in much of the country and have to change our behaviour to reflect this reality.

By adopting water efficient garden practices we can ensure that our gardens continue to thrive and continue to provide their many benefits - creating habitat for wildlife, enhancing air quality and storing carbon, which helps to reverse the greenhouse effect.

How to do it now!

Try the following actions to make your garden more water efficient:

Add compost and manures to your soil - They provide food for plants and enrich the water retention capacity of your soil. That means there's more water available in the soil for your plants. See our action "Recycle Organic Waste" for a full guide to composting and worm farming.

Ensure that your soil is always covered by mulch or plants - Bare exposed soil will dry out very quickly and suck moisture from nearby plants. Mulching your soil will prevent it drying out, put nutrients into the soil and discourage weeds, which can beat your plants to vital water. See our action Mulch your Patch for a full guide to mulching.

Plant drought-tolerant or dry-land plants - There is a huge selection of differently coloured, formed and textured xeriscape plants (tough plants that don't require irrigation), so you can find one to fit any garden design. Take a look at some of the following gardening links for a list of drought-tolerant plants:

Australian National Botanic Gardens
Australian Gardens at Cranbourne
Local indigenous plant nurseries - Native plants are adapted to an unirrigated existence in the local area; they also conserve local diversity and create habitats for wildlife. The Society for Growing Australian Plants has a list of indigenous nurseries from which to source local drought-tolerant plants.

Local Indigenous Nurseries include:

G.E.S.T. Nursery (wholesale)
Lot 2 Old Sale Road, Moe, 3825
Ph: (03) 5126 2384
Glengarry Plant Farm
415 Glengarry North Road, Glengarry
Ph: (03) 5192 4233
Morwell Plant Market
Selection of native plants
2 Old Princess Highway, Morwell
Ph: (03) 5134 8046

Other Regional Native Plant Nurseries

Strzelecki Plant Farm
- by appointment
RMB 1321 Allambee Reserve via Mirboo Nth
Ph: (03) 5668 7209
Gippsland Indigenous Plants
- by appointment
RMB 6898 Dow Road, Valencia Creek, 3680
Ph: (03) 5145 4468
Blue Gum Forest Nursery
285 Warragul Road, Korumburra
Ph: (03) 5655 2765
Terraflora Nursery
Open Wed-Sat
195 South Gippsland Highway, Leongatha
Ph: (03) 5662 4124
Neerim Native Flora
- by appointment
49 Fraser Spur Road, Neerim South
Ph: (03) 5628 1419
Mulga Plants (Wholesale)
Hazelwood
5166 1414
Wildtech Nursery (Wholesale)
Licola Road, Glenmaggie
Ph: (03) 5148 0317
Klein’s Nursery (Wholesale)
Farm Forest and Tree Shrubs
Yarram
Ph: (03) 5182 6152
Koorooman Native Flora Nursery (Wholesale)
390 Leongatha North Road, Leongatha North
Ph: (03) 5668 6301
Tree Action (Barry) (Wholesale)
535 Rougheads Road, Leongatha South
Ph: (03) 5664 3259

Indigenous Seedbanks – Gippsland

Leongatha Indigenous Seedbank
Co-ordinator: Matt Bowler
Ph (03) 5662 2453
Maffra Indigenous Seedbank
Co-ordinator: Steven Bruce
Ph (03) 5152 3099
Yarram Indigenous Seedbank
Co-ordinator: Jenny Wolswinkel
Ph: (03) 5183 9148

Please be aware that not all species will be available at these nurseries. You may need to order particular species in advance, so nurseries have time to grow them for you. Also be aware that some nurseries specialize in larger orders.

If your business specializes in native plants and is not listed here, please register your interest by contacting Latrobe City Council on 1300 367 700.

Replace your lawn - Plant local indigenous grasses (e.g. weeping grass or wallaby grass) or some of the warm-season grasses like buffalo, couch or kikuyu, which can tolerate less water. These require approximately 30% less water than cool-season grasses. But do check to see if these are a weed in your area.

Remember, you don't need to water your lawn at all: instead, enjoy the changing colour of the seasons, from the golden hues of summer to the velvety green of winter.
Alternatively, replace your lawn altogether with another permeable surface, such as gravel. Using concrete and paving stones will increase run-off and is best avoided.

Go “mostly organic” in your lawn and garden - Using organic gardening products and techniques is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. You don’t have to go 100 per cent organic either. Try out a few organic pesticides or fertilisers and see what works for you. By going mostly organic in your garden you’ll help to stimulate beneficial soil organisms, reduce harmful wastewater run-off, and create a healthier place for your pets and children to play.

Use a reel or electric lawn mower - If you have a small yard, consider using a manual push reel mower. Why?

Today’s reel mowers are a far cry from the one your grandfather used. Reel mowers are light, quiet, and virtually maintenance-free. They are environmentally friendly, and also better for the grass. Rotary mowers tear the grass - reel mowers cut grass like scissors, leaving a fine spray of clippings as mulch for your yard. They do take some effort, but they aren’t any harder to push than an 30kg petrol mower that isn’t self-propelled. Reel mowers aren’t necessarily practical for really big lawns, so think about switching that petrol mower to a cleaner, electric mower.

Group plants according to their water needs - This will ensure that you're not unnecessarily watering some plants just because of their proximity to a heavy drinker. Not all plants need watering, and many only need a sprinkle now and then.

Get the right irrigation system - Forget wasteful sprinkler systems, which can lose up to 45% of water to evaporation. Instead use water-efficient irrigation systems like leaky hoses and dripper systems. These provide water directly to the base of the plant, close to where it is taken up. They also provide smaller amounts of water, reducing the risk of run-off and water wastage. Make sure you comply with current water restrictions, which include rules about how you water as well as when you water.

Remember to adjust your automatic irrigation system seasonally, and install a rain sensor to avoid automatically watering in wet weather.
Try the Savewater site for tips and information on irrigation systems.

Water in the cool of the day - Watering either in the early morning or evening is best as it avoids water loss due to evaporation from the sun and transpiration by plants.

Longer deep soaks are better than frequent watering - Deep soaks encourage roots to move deeply into the soil. Of course, how long you need to soak depends on the quality of your soil, the presence of organic matter, evaporation rates, rainfall and the thirstiness of your plants.

Care for and know your garden - By checking for pests and diseases on a regular basis you get to know your garden better, understand the watering needs of your plants and can identify stressed plants before the situation is dire.

Capturing rainfall - That's the brilliant thing about the water cycle; clean fresh water keeps falling from the sky. Unfortunately, its occurring less frequently these days, and that's all the more reason to capture it. See our action Harvest and Use Your Rainwater for a full guide to installing and collecting rainwater from your garden.

Use council and state government rebates on water saving gear - Don't forget to take advantage of rebates offered by many of the state governments. You can get money back on water-wise purchases including mulches, efficient irrigation and hoses.

Victoria – Our Water Our Future - The Water Smart Gardens and Homes Rebate scheme gives you the chance to save water and money when you purchase eligible water-saving products between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2011.

Additional resources

National - Smart Watermark - This site lists the state and/or local government rebate programs available in your area for the installation of certain water-saving fixtures and water tanks.

Why this action is important?

Fresh water is the lifeblood of nature. Without it, we would not have clean air, food, drink and many aesthetic and recreational benefits. Therefore, we need to ensure we use water in a sustainable way – we need to share it with all life on the planet and respect and value this ‘lifeblood’. The consequences of doing otherwise can be seen in the spreading deserts across the world and the resulting drought and famine that can soon follow.