Episode: Four
Date: 20th September 2008
Story Title: Mitre 10 – Waterwise Planning Guide
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Saving water in the garden is so important, especially with summer around the corner. You can create a beautiful garden that requires minimal water and this weeks’ Mitre 10 project will show you how.

Trevor heads down to his local Mitre 10 store so he can create a low-water garden.

Create a water saving garden

Step 1: Group your plants

• Some plants need lots of water, some barely any. By grouping plants with similar thirst you can reduce your water use because you don’t have to water the whole garden just to cater for the most thirsty plants. Water the thirsty ones when they need it, and the others less often.

 

Step 2: Water Saving plants

• There are thousands of plants available that could be classified as “low water use.” Many of these are Australian natives. For a list of water saving plants, check out this week’s Mitre 10 plan.

Step 3: Reduce water loss

• Water is wastefully lost in two ways: evaporation and runoff.
• Creating topsoil with great drainage is a good idea. Break down clumpy, solid soil with an additive and dig in large amounts of compost. Organic material added to soil improves water absorption and also encourages worms that will do even more for soil drainage and plant nutrition over the long term.

Step 4: Collect water

• Rainwater- roofs are efficient water collectors just waiting for you to exploit. You can collect and store water from houses, shed, carports and pergolas- even on the tiniest of blocks. The ground itself receives the same amount of rain, so think about how much water the soil can absorb, and how you can drain pathways and paving into the garden beds and lawns. 
• Greywater- the average household produces 400 litres of greywater per day. Greywater is the waster from shower, baths, spas, hand basins, laundry tubs, washing machines, dishwashers and kitchen sinks. Check with your water authority what you can and can’t do before you decide to divert greywater.

Step 5: Water Wise

• Water on the surface of the soil will generally evaporate before plants can make use of it, so be a little inventive with methods of introducing water deeper into the soil.
• Send it down- consider installing perforated agricultural pipe to use as a deep watering system as well as drainage. You can connect these pipes to your stormwater system in a variety of ways.
• Quick fix- cut the bottoms of plastic drink bottles, remove the lids, and bury them at least half-way down in the soil next to a plant. Fill the bottle when you water the garden and this little reservoir will trickle-feed the plant for 24 hours or more. Even easier, buy a set of watering spikes and attach the bottles to them.
• Wise irrigation- Spray and sprinkler irrigation systems waste water as much is lost by evaporation before it reaches the ground. Install drip irrigators instead, and completely cover them with mulch. In this way, virtually no water will be lost to evaporation.

 

Contact

For more information and for your Mitreplan visit www.mitre10.com.au or visit your local Mitre 10 Store.