Episode: VIC Waterwise Special ? Our Changing Climate
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Having a reliable irrigation system is critical to having a beautiful garden in Victoria. However, there are dramatic differences between systems and products so you have to be careful with what you use.

When using a hose, always make sure you use a trigger nozzle on the end of the hose and always aim the water at the base of the plants when watering the garden. Watering the foliage does nothing for the plant and most if that water eventually evaporates.

There are many watering systems and these include tap timers and those clever recycled rubber soaker hoses which have to be manually triggered to start. Try using low pressure poly pipe systems with drippers or low volume sprays. Make sure the spray is pointed at the plant directly and are not blocked so they can work properly.

These types of systems can be used between 6am and 8am or 8pm and 10pm on alternate days. Automatic controllers can save a lot of water particularly if you use low volume, direct delivery watering systems. They are the type run by a computer clock and come on automatically. Set them to run between midnight and 4am on alternate days.

If your house number is an odd number then you water on odd days and likewise, if your house number is even, then you water on even days.

The most important bit of advice Trevor has is your garden will only need 10mm of water twice a week during the summer days under 35 degrees. It may need more on hotter days, but that can be done manually with a hose. Applying any more is a waste of water as it will wash below the roots.