We still need to be extra careful that we use water wisely in Auckland this summer. But at the same time, it’s highly likely you’ve got a beautiful and abundant garden to take care of, and that takes water to keep it at its best. As plumbers in Auckland with an interest in all things to do with water, we have a few handy water-saving hints for the garden. The first one is to get in touch with us and fix any leaky taps you may have on your property. It’s one of our most important services given the current water situation but there are a few things you can do yourself and they include:

• Choose plants that suit your soil type e,g, succulents grow well in sandy soil. Your local garden centre should be able to advise on the best choices.
• Group plants with similar water requirements together as this means you’ll automatically give the plants the water they need without overwatering other plants.
• The soil in pots dries out faster than soil in the garden so plant varieties that don’t mind shady conditions and group your pots together out of the full sun. This will reduce sun exposure and stop them from drying out. In turn, you won’t need to apply as much water.
• Follow watering instructions carefully on the labels that come with new plants. You might be watering them more than you need to. Generally speaking, you only need to water every 3 to 5 days but this might increase in summer, especially on edible crops.
• Less frequent deep soakings instead of regular quick bursts of water will encourage plant roots to grow feeder roots that go deep into the ground to find water. This helps plants to better survive short term drought.
• Check the level of moisture in your soil. If the soil is still moist about 10 centimetres below the surface, then you probably don’t need to water. In warmer weather, you should check the moisture every four to seven days.
• Raise your mower blades in summer to prevent your lawns getting heat-stressed and leave clippings on the lawn as mulch. Mulch will help retain moisture on the lawn.
• Water your garden early in the morning or in the evening when the sun is going down. This will minimise water loss through evaporation, which is what will happen if you irrigate your plants during the heat of the day.
• Apply water close to the ground instead of at the top of the plants. Aim along the dripline of the plants which is underneath the outer edge of the plant’s canopy.
• If you have a multi-level garden, water the plants in the highest parts first as runoff will go to the lower dry areas.
• Adjust sprinklers so they direct water to the plants instead of spraying wasted water on your paths, driveways and against buildings.

When you see these tips, you’ll understand that it is relatively simple to reduce your water use in the garden this summer. And don’t forget to fix those leaky taps! As far as water wasters go, they’re some of the biggest, so contact us and we’ll get them sorted.