Water wise practices

There are four key things to remember about reducing water use:

• Mulch
• Drip irrigation
• Wetting agents and water storage products for your soil
• Drought tolerant plants

Here are a few simple but very effective tips:

• Don't water in the middle of the day, in windy conditions or if it is likely to rain
• Make a small dam from mulch and soil to avoid water running off the soil
• Water the roots of plants rather than the leaves, reducing windspray and evaporation
• Cool season grasses should be left longer in summer but warm season grasses such as couch and buffalo can be kept short
• Avoid cutting grass by more than a third of its length at any one time
• Replace struggling plants in autumn with drought tolerant species