Parched

Australia - a big brown land.

Unless you have been living under a rock or from another planet, you know most parts of Australia are experiencing the worst drought conditions in living memory. Many towns are coming to terms with the very stark reality of life without water.

In Sydney, we have just been put on Level 2 Water Restrictions, these are the strictest levels for over a decade - the last time they were in affect was 4 year period between 2003 and 2008. In 2009 Sydney Water imposed "Waterwise Rules" even after restrictions were receded. These rules were brought into manage and promote more efficient watering practice, these rules included:

* All hoses must now have a trigger nozzle.
* Hand held hoses, sprinklers and watering systems may be used only before 10 am and after 4 pm

   on any day – to avoid the heat of the day.
* No hosing of hard surfaces such as paths and driveways. Washing vehicles is allowed.
* Fire hoses may be used for fire fighting activities only.

Most of the water used in the household is consumed internally but it is usually the garden that suffers the most, being that it is outside, it is the easiest to see (and to be caught out breaking the rules).

 More significantly, for the horticulture industry, nursery trade slows down. People aren't prepared to do anything more to their garden if they can't keep it looking tip top. Although this time of the year is not great to be planting, it usually falls within a time when retail sales are most rewarding for nursery owners. 

So what measures can you take to keep your garden looking good while being water wise? It all starts with good preparation, generally the best time to plant is through Spring and Autumn, avoiding the hottest and coldest parts of the year. These periods are less stressful for you and your plants and are also good times to prepare for the coming extremities.

• The good soil

Healthy soil will go a long way to helping your plants establish and thrive, even when most under stress. Maintaining soil moisture is important but it doesn't always mean irrigating the ground, you want to build and encourage soils to retail moisture, not too much of course as that leads to other issues, but it is very hard to re-hydrate dry soil. 

Beached as bro!

When soils dry out they become hydrophobic, this is the case for many soils containing higher levels of clay. Irrigate all you like, water will follow the path of least resistance and you'll probably just watch it run off. Now the easy "solution" would be to add a wetting agent. These products break the surface tension allowing the water to penetrate to soil surface and head down through the profile. But soils ain't easy and transformation isn't quick. Good preparation is needed to reduce multiple applications of wetting agent products.

Soils are really slow to change (without serious intervention) and what they need the most is time. The first settlers to Australia found out quickly that a lot of our soil types are impoverished and for over 200 years we have been changing them much faster than natural processes would do, the result  has also had a negative effect on the natural environment.

The heart and soil of a good garden

So when you are starting out or trying to improve soil it will take time, you will need to be patient and persistent. The addition of organic material such as compost is a great way to start changing the composition of your soil. Healthy soil will attract many beneficial organisms that will add life back to the soil, rewarding you with healthier, stress resistant plants. Be prepared to persist!

• How much mulch?

The practise of mulching has been around for many, many years and is a great practice to start if you haven't done so before. The idea is that it helps insulate the soil temperature and plant root systems. It also slows down soil moisture evaporation and in the long term it breaks down and adds organics back into the soil - circle of life! It also helps suppress weeds that will compete with your more desired plants for food and water.

Mulch can be both beneficial and aesthetically pleasing

How quickly this happens is all dependant on what type of mulch you use. The finer the material the quicker it breaks down. Finer materials may also cause problems with air flow at the soil level and even becoming hydrophobic, which is the opposite of what your trying to achieve. Finer materials should be changed regularly or at least turned to ensure they don't cause these types of issues.

How much mulch you should use depends who you ask. Everyone in the industry seems have a different idea and this just creates confusion. The rule of thumb is about 10cm deep, but this will vary depending on the type of product. You can get many colours and grades (thickness of bark) as well as many types but mostly from bark and wood products which are better for more ornamental type garden settings. Otherwise there are products made from and grasses and legumes (such as pea straw or lucerne) and composted materials which are generally better for vegetable and herb gardens.

Many Mulches - but which one?

Mulching by itself isn't the magic bullet, good soil preparation, as discussed above is critical in good soil health, putting mulch on poor soil is almost the same, except you don't have to look directly at the poor soil anymore. Mulching is another longer term process that will add health benefits to your soil, mulching over good soil is just like slipping into a freshly made bed. 

* Which plants?

Planting the right plant for our conditions is also paramount to have long term success in your garden, not only when water is plentiful but for times like these that Australia is currently experience. The aim should be to create a water wise garden for all types seasons and years.

Information about water efficient gardens can be found all over the internet, other good places are to start are local council or government agencies. The basis of a water wise garden is the selection of hardy plants that have minimal water needs once established.

Try a native - local and adaptive

The first plants that come to mind are succulents and natives, Both have the ability to survive with low water use and in the case of natives, evolved to the sometimes harsh local conditions. The selection and breeding of both these types of plants has resulted in some very pretty and ornamental varieties hitting the market, which gives the home gardener a lot more choice.

Sunny Suckers!

Lastly, check out your own neighbourhood when looking for planting ideas. On your next stroll around the block, pay attention to the gardens in your suburb. In newer areas it's hard to compare older plantings with newer to see what works best. We should maybe also look at the old school ornamental plants that our Grandparents tended to, yes the might be outdated but look at all those terrible boy and girls bands of the 90's - somehow they got relevant again.

Got some space and looking for something to give your garden shade and colour? A few tree species worth trying are Crepe Myrtles - Lagerstroemia sp. (specifically the 'Indian Summer' varieties), Brachychiton including B. acerifolius, B. populneus & B. rupestis (and the newer grafted or hybridised varieties), Olives - Olea europea varieties such as 'Swan Hill' or 'Tolley's Upright' and the fan favourite Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)

A trio of toughness Olea 'Tolley's Upright' (Above Left),
Lagerstroemia 'Tuscarrora' (Above Right) and
Brachychiton acerifolius (Bottom Right)

Given our current predicament it's a great idea to look around the streets of where you live and see what's doing well BUT more importantly, what's not. It's something the planners of our cities will need to pay close attention to over the coming months as we look to planting (and planning) for the future.

* Water - the giver of life

One of the most precious commodities on earth, important to every single living thing on this earth. Unfortunately we rely on it too much and for most us, we take it for granted. Although it may not feel like changing your habits will do much on the broader scale, think of the drop of water hitting the pool, the ripple effect can cause waves.

So you have got your soil health on the mend, you've chosen the right plants, the mulch is down - what next? In Sydney you can only currently use a watering can before 10am and after 4pm to water your plants or use drip irrigation for 15 minutes during the same periods. The timing makes sense, especially during summer because it it gets too hot, plants shut down to minimise loss of water through their leaves and stems. It's also much easier on us humans to do it at this time too. 

Drips and drops - drip irrigation gets water to where it's needed.

Installing a drip irrigation system may be costly but it helps get water to the right spot more efficiently while reducing wastage. Irrigation systems can range from basic to high tech and will differ depending on the garden situation. Some automatic systems are smart enough to tell if the soil is dry or wet and water accordingly - but you will pay a premium for a set up such as this.

Yes you CAN - it may be a chore but it helps you get in the garden.

Using just a watering can can be laborious but isn't your garden worth it? If you have a small or potted garden - no sweat! But if you have a larger garden it may be an effort to get water to your plants - so for all you starting off, keep that in mind. Either way it is important to plan how and when you water. An idea is to group your garden in sections and rotate the watering chores. Look at what is growing in your garden and note if it needs more or less water and plan your irrigating accordingly.

So what other ways can you conserve and harvest water? As stated above, most of your household's water is used internally so let's start there. Limiting the amount of water you use is the most straight forward & common sense approach. It might not seem a lot at an individual household level but imagine if everyone did their bit!

Drip, Drop - make that leaky tap stop!

If you are a D.I.Y. kind of person, check your taps & shower head for leaks and replace seals - there's plenty of instructional videos on YouTube but if you're unsure maybe call a plumber, they can also recommend water saving options.

Utilising your grey water also is a good way of re-using that which would literally end up going down the drain. Connecting a extension grey water hose to your washing machine and divert it to your lawn or garden is a good way to keep them green.

BUT, grey water can be high in nutrients that may cause problems with sensitive plants. So before you reuse grey water check what's in your laundry detergent, also check with a local nursery to get tips on what species will do better. It may mean using grey water in conjunction with town water so that nasty elements don't built up in your soil causing a toxicity.

Your time starts.... now!

What else can we do? Limiting your showers to 4 minutes or less is a great start. So if you and partner are comfortable enough - shower together! Or if you prefer a little privacy, how about taking a bucket in with you for company? This will catch excess water and you'll be able to transfer to your watering can and in turn use it on your garden.

There are heaps more tips and hints, you can find plenty via your local water authority such as Sydney Water. So there we have it, a few things you can do to help your garden not just thrive but survive prolonged periods of heat and water restrictions. As I type these final words, it is now the 3rd day of very heavy rainfall around Sydney, but let's not fall back into our old ways cause it's wet outside.

Train yourself, as well as your garden, to be resilient, water wise and productive. Don't just be reactive to sudden and unpredictable change. It is very likely that the weather patterns we have seen across Australia recently will continue - it's up to us to make a difference and it all starts at home.