With an average Queensland household using up to 50 per cent of all their household water outside the home, it is vitally important to be WaterWise in the garden and around your home.
There are many simple ways to save water outside your home. |  |
Gardens
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 | Plant drought-resistant native trees and shrubs.
These species are both attractive and effective in helping to cut your water costs.
Put a good mulch over the top of your garden beds.
Mulches can prevent up to 73% moisture loss through evaporation! A 50mm mulch layer can save hundreds of litres of water per year. The best mulch is a well-rotted compost (another reason why every house should have a compost pile!).
Other mulching materials are lawn clippings (not lawns treated with weedkiller, though), leaves and old newspapers.
Therefore, mulches are a cheap and easy but effective method of making the most out of water in your garden. Mulches also prevent excessive runoff, restrict weed growth and help put valuable nutrients back into your soil. |
You should never mulch all the way up to a tree trunk, instead a ring gap should be left to prevent the possibility of collar rot.
Install water efficient drip irrigation for your trees, shrubs and flowers.
This type of watering gets the moisture to the roots of the plant where it is needed and used, instead of the leaves, where water can be evaporated.
By watering in this manner, you save yourself time and money and the plastic pipes are economical and easy to install. |  |
Wait until the soil dries out before watering to toughen up your plants and make them hardier in dry conditions.
On a sloping block, water the highest parts of your garden first. This will save water wastage from runoff and save you time, by using the lay of your land to give you a hand in watering.
Move your pot plants outside when it rains for a good, free soak.
When you clean a fish tank, use the water you drain on your plants. The water is rich in Nitrogen and Phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertiliser. |
Gardens - Watering
Always water during the early morning (5-8am) or late afternoon (5-8pm), if possible dependant upon current water restrictions, when temperatures are cooler and the amount of water lost to evaporation is reduced.
Don't water on windy days. Water can be blown onto footpaths and driveways, which wastes your time, water and money. There should be no need to water lawns, and some gardens, for at least a week after rains.
While fertilisers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the absolute minimum amount of fertiliser needed, to keep watering at as low a level as possible.
Remember to keep your lawn and garden weeded. Weeds compete with your plants for water, as well as nutrients and light. |
Start a compost pile. By mixing compost into your soil, you increase the organic matter content of your soil.
A high soil organic matter content means a high soil water-holding capacity.
This means that you can water less frequently, saving you time and money.
By using our kitchen and garden scraps in a composting system, we are also alleviating some of the pressure on our town refuse disposal facility. |  |
| Collect and use rainwater for watering your lawns and gardens. This water is "free", and by using it just as wisely as the water you pay for, the savings in your pocket will really start to add up! |
 | If you have an automated sprinkler system, install a rain shut-off device to eliminate unnecessary and wasteful watering.
If not, teach your whole family how to shut off your watering system so anyone who is home can turn off the sprinklers when rain is coming.
Check your sprinkler system frequently and ensure that only your lawn is being watered, and not the house, footpath or street. |
| If you have an evaporative air conditioner, direct the water to drain onto a garden, tree or your lawn. In summer, this could save you a lot of watering time (and money). |
Lawns
Reduce your area of lawn. Avoid having turfed areas which are hard to water and mow, such as isolated strips along pathways and driveways, or areas with a steep slope.
Fill these areas with porous materials, such as colourful gravel, or with water conservative shrubs and ground covers. You may even want to make a feature in your garden and undertake some landscaping with rock. |  |
Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart, so water can reach the roots, instead of running off the surface. This reduces the water wasted and reduces the time you spend watering.
Only water when you need to. Proper lawn watering can save thousands of litres of water annually.
There are several ways to test to see when you need to water: - Use an old screwdriver to as a probe to test soil moisture. If it goes in easily, you don't need to water
OR - Simply walk across your lawn. If you leave footprints or the lawn stays flat - then it's time to water.
Allow for seasonality in your watering schedule. Winter lawns require less watering than summer lawns. |
Lawns - Watering
If your grass is brown, this doesn't mean it's dead, it's just dormant. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three weeks.
When the rain begins, your grass will quickly turn green again, and you will have saved money by watering your dormant grass correctly.
Give your lawn more water, but less often.
Watering your lawn lightly every night encourages your grass to be shallow-rooted and totally dependent on that small amount of water you have to provide daily. |  |
By watering a maximum of twice a week, but for a period long enough to enable the water to soak deep into the soil, the roots of your lawn are encouraged to go deeper to seek moisture, making them hardier in dry conditions.
Use a timer on your sprinkler. A forgotten sprinkler wastes more than 1000 litres per hour, all of which you pay for. If you don't have a hose timer, set a kitchen timer. |
 | Water small areas of grass by hand, to avoid waste. Wash your cars and pets on the lawn. This waters the lawn at the same time.
Mow your grass as infrequently as possible.
Mowing puts your lawn under additional stress, causing it to require more watering.
Adjust your lawnmower to a higher setting.
Longer grass will reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation. |
WaterWise in the Yard
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Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and footpath and save up to 300 litres of water every time.
Cleaning a path with a broom is quicker than with a hose, so the broom method also saves you time. |
When washing your car, only use the hose for rinsing.
Use a bucket and sponge to wash the car in between rinsing.
Attaching a trigger nozzle to your hose can make the process of turning the hose on and off easier and can save you more than 350 litres of water per car wash.
The trigger nozzle also comes in handy when moving the hose around the garden to hand water, but remember to turn the hose off at the tap when finished! |  |
WaterWise Plants
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Good gardening habits, pre-planning of landscaping, informed plant selection and limited lawn area can make a significant difference in reducing how much water your garden uses.
Some basic tips for reducing water usage in gardens include:
Planning
The key objective of WaterWise gardening is to minimise evaporation and maximise water content to reduce the need for watering. Usage and maintenance requirements, soil types, drainage patterns, privacy and shading are just some of the important issues to consider when planning a new WaterWise garden. The development of a master plan which incorporates your design scheme and water management arrangements is advisable before choosing your plants.
Soil
As most gardeners know, the quality of your soil is foremost to its ability to store and absorb water. Soil also effects plant root depth. The first step in soil improvement is identifying your soil type to determine the best method of improvement. Generally soil improvement through regularly adding organic matter such as compost or manure considerably enhances soil quality.
Mulch
Always having a thick layer of mulch (at least 75mm) helps preserve soil moisture by reducing evaporation by up to 70 percent, improves soil quality and discourages weeds which compete for moisture. Mulch should be applied twice a year in autumn and spring.
Plant Selection
Choosing the right plants can save water and time caring for them. There are a range of native and exotic plants available that thrive in dry conditions. Plants can be grouped together according to their water needs. It is recommended you speak with your local nursery for advice on WaterWise plants which thrive in the Dalby area. Don't forget to give shrubs a spring pruning as this reduces the leaf area and the plants water usage requirements.
Rainwater Tanks
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Saving Water Outside