Securing water supply
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
Episode: Easter Special 8/4/07
Water is our most precious recourse and it is becoming rarer, but that does not mean you have to say goodbye to your garden and all the pretty plants in it. If you use every drop of water wisely your garden can still look amazing, with inspirational final results.
Once upon a time every Australian property had a well, but today bores are more commonly used. Many Australian cities have surface aquifers, which means you can draw bore water out of the ground. You can find out more information from your local authority on whether it is suitable in your area, but bore water is a very valuable asset to a home garden.
Rainwater harvesting is something every Aussie should do. It is how our forefathers managed to get by whilst establishing the colony and as farms expanded our agriculture industries, every homestead captured every drop of rainwater.
Another great opportunity is grey water which is the waste water from your kitchen sink, washing machine, bath and showers and this treated is a brilliant source of water supply for a garden.
Lawns have suffered across the country this summer and this is because they can be thirsty members of a great garden. Good garden design principles can make a huge difference to how much water you use and reducing the lawn area in your garden is one way. Lawns are very important in a landscape and Trevor thinks a good looking garden has to have some lawn.
There are a few other ways you can make lawns water efficient. One is by adding an organic soil improver to the base soil before rolling out a new lawn or scattering seed. This holds moisture in the ground longer reducing heat stress. If your lawn is already down, top dress with organic sieved humus this will add valuable organics into the top soil and your lawn will love it. Another thing you can do is use a sub surface irrigation system. You can buy a system that you can lay under the grass before establishing the lawn or retrofit and cut into the lawn. This cut water use dramatically, by at least 50%.
Plant selection is also critical. Native plants, those endemic to your local area will use less water surviving summer when we tend to draw down on supplies the most. They are not the only option. There are also some incredible exotic species available that deliver a different more lush effect but because they originate from climates similar to Australia and they survive on just a fraction of the water normally needed in a traditional European style garden
Late autumn and early winter is the time you should be planting in your garden. New plants grow enough during the cooler months to establish a root system and this will sustain them well through summer using minimal water. Spring is the European time to plant, not Australian.
How much water should you need for your garden to survive a long hot summer? Research says two drinks of 15ml a week would sustain your lawn and garden through the worst. It is worth considering.
It is time to get your garden back on track and now is the time to do it. Use winter rains to establish your garden and come spring time everything will be coming up roses!
Episode: Easter Special 8/4/07
Water is our most precious recourse and it is becoming rarer, but that does not mean you have to say goodbye to your garden and all the pretty plants in it. If you use every drop of water wisely your garden can still look amazing, with inspirational final results.
Once upon a time every Australian property had a well, but today bores are more commonly used. Many Australian cities have surface aquifers, which means you can draw bore water out of the ground. You can find out more information from your local authority on whether it is suitable in your area, but bore water is a very valuable asset to a home garden.
Rainwater harvesting is something every Aussie should do. It is how our forefathers managed to get by whilst establishing the colony and as farms expanded our agriculture industries, every homestead captured every drop of rainwater.
Another great opportunity is grey water which is the waste water from your kitchen sink, washing machine, bath and showers and this treated is a brilliant source of water supply for a garden.
Lawns have suffered across the country this summer and this is because they can be thirsty members of a great garden. Good garden design principles can make a huge difference to how much water you use and reducing the lawn area in your garden is one way. Lawns are very important in a landscape and Trevor thinks a good looking garden has to have some lawn.
There are a few other ways you can make lawns water efficient. One is by adding an organic soil improver to the base soil before rolling out a new lawn or scattering seed. This holds moisture in the ground longer reducing heat stress. If your lawn is already down, top dress with organic sieved humus this will add valuable organics into the top soil and your lawn will love it. Another thing you can do is use a sub surface irrigation system. You can buy a system that you can lay under the grass before establishing the lawn or retrofit and cut into the lawn. This cut water use dramatically, by at least 50%.
Plant selection is also critical. Native plants, those endemic to your local area will use less water surviving summer when we tend to draw down on supplies the most. They are not the only option. There are also some incredible exotic species available that deliver a different more lush effect but because they originate from climates similar to Australia and they survive on just a fraction of the water normally needed in a traditional European style garden
Late autumn and early winter is the time you should be planting in your garden. New plants grow enough during the cooler months to establish a root system and this will sustain them well through summer using minimal water. Spring is the European time to plant, not Australian.
How much water should you need for your garden to survive a long hot summer? Research says two drinks of 15ml a week would sustain your lawn and garden through the worst. It is worth considering.
It is time to get your garden back on track and now is the time to do it. Use winter rains to establish your garden and come spring time everything will be coming up roses!
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