We all know how cathartic tending to a garden can be — and considering Melbournians were staying at home for a large portion of 2020, a lot of people probably found themselves taking up gardening as a hobby. Well, as you may know, water is an integral part of gardening and keeping plants alive. If you’re looking to keep your gardening habit going whilst mitigating your water bill, then our Melbourne driveway experts have some useful suggestions that you might want to consider. Keep reading to learn about six smart ways you can water your garden.
1. Optimise your watering routine
Knowing your plants is essential. The three key points to know is when, where and how much they need to be watered.
When
Not all plants will need to be watered daily as it could actually negatively affect them, so make sure you research how often each plant requires watering. Succulents, for example, should not be watered on a schedule, but must instead be monitored. When their soil begins to feel dry — they should be watered. Monitoring soil is good practice for most plants, in fact.
Where
When it comes to knowing where to water, you should always try to water the base of the plant first and foremost as plants take water up from their roots. On hot days, occasionally wetting the foliage can be beneficial as it will keep the temperature of the leaves down — but if it’s already quite cool then constantly wet foliage can lead to rot and disease forming.
How much
How much does your plant need to be watered? That’s dependant on the plant but just like the when — you should ensure you know how much water is required before you accidentally drown them. Some plants may only need a light rinse whereas others will require thorough soaks.
2. Use recycled water
If you can, try and install a rainwater gathering system in your yard to collect and store water to use in the yard. This is an incredibly sustainable practice that won’t waste any water and won’t impact your water bill. You can purchase already-made water collection systems or even DIY your own. What’s more, is that you can use the recycled water for other applications such as washing your car.
3. Water your plants in the morning
Our Melbourne driveway experts highly recommend watering your plants in the morning because that tends to be the coolest part of the day. This means that your plants will retain moisture more efficiently since there’s little – no sun or heat to cause evaporation.
4. Group similar plants together
If you’ve followed our first point correctly, then you should understand the different requirements of all your plants. The next best thing to do is to position the plants with similar requirements together so you can water them together — ultimately saving you water. If you have a large garden, consider creating a table with all the relevant information so it’s easier to keep track of them all.
5. Use drip irrigation
Whilst sprinkler nozzles on hoses can be efficient, drip irrigation systems are the next step. These go straight for the source — delivering a steady supply of water over the base of the plant (avoiding any foliage) that drips down to the root. Drip irrigation is incredibly proficient, sustainable and beneficial. It will drastically cut your water bill, mitigate disease forming in the foliage and also lessen the amount of fertiliser you’ll need to use. Overall, drip irrigation is a watering method that our Melbourne driveway experts highly recommend.
6. Try to avoid automated sprinklers
This last one is less of a suggestion of what to do as it is something you should avoid. Timed sprinkler systems can be useful in some situations but overall may end up wasting more water. These timers won’t know if it has rained and may end up watering your garden whilst it’s already raining which would be pointless and wasteful. If you can, avoid these automated timers and try to handle the watering manually.
Are you looking for a driveway expert in Melbourne?
Now that you know how to efficiently water your garden, you should make sure your driveway is in order, too. A Better Driveway provides premium concrete driveway services in Melbourne and can supply you with a durable and high-quality concrete driveway in a variety of materials and styles.
Give us a call on 0412 537 776 or fill out our online contact form if you would like to get in touch with us regarding a quote.