It's getting close to that time again, when we all start to worry if we are going to have enough water for our plants.

If we have prepared our gardens with mulch and a drip water system, with a good reliable timing device, everything is going to be ok... If you have not, it's not too late. But it has to be a drip system, or you will have to stand around with a trigger operated hose, Sundays and Wednesdays, before 10am and after 4 pm.

There is the new Government ruling that states:

"If you have purchased a new plant, you can water it for 28 days from the date of purchase. But you must keep the invoice of sale."

So, don't tell anyone I told you this, but if you have a precious exotic plant that you are concerned about , what would stop you from under planting or side by side planting with a cheap purchased potted plant and watered it for 28 days? Of course there still will be some species of plants that will require hand watering, such as shade plants, ferns, Bromeliad's etc. I personally have a few exceptions also, which could be argued by experts.

Some plants that are constantly attacked by insects and caterpillars, I feel should be sanitised with a hose on full power. For instance, I have about 60 Azaleas, and Rhododendrons, only a couple have Red Spider and Lace Bug and they are for experimental reasons. Constant pressure will turn the leaves and wash off any bugs, also dead heading at the same time.

• Note: Azaleas have a very shallow root system, so don't put high pressure on the ground, foliage only! If you doubt what in say, pull off the worst leaf you can find and turn it over, then give it one quick hit with the hose, then send me the cheque!

I have Azalea's flower spotting all year. Very rarely do I spray any insects in my garden, and I have never, and I mean never ever seen a snail, live or dead, but that's another story for another day.

Getting back to the dripping system, some people have installed expensive irrigation, with a spray system. Sorry, not allowed anymore! You have to update, and there is no need to break the bank. Most of the work and expense has been done, all that's required, is to remove the actual sprayer heads, and connect a spaghetti tube drip line, with many combinations of installation. As much as it hurts me to say this, but the government actually got it right this time, in this matter, and you thought they were always dumb!

• Spray systems performance can be unreliable due to plant growth. A conventional spray system will need the spray heads to be raised or moved or even additional heads added as the plants' growth blocks or reduces the performance of the heads, and they also regularly block with rubbish and ants setting up house.

Benefits of Dripline Watering System

• With the dripline system, the water is applied directly to the soil exactly where the plant uses it.
  • As a result, water cost is reduced because as the water being delivered by the dripline is not affected by evaporation, wind drift and run off.
• The drip system continually puts the water where it's needed regardless of what the plants are doing in growth.
  • So you would probably save in the order of about 60% of water and with no more concerns about soil water retention.
  • This will only be achieved in conjunction with mulching.

Then there is the ultimate, 24/7 water harvester! A rain water retention tank, which these days come in all shapes and sizes, made from concrete, metal, plastic or fibreglass.

They can be fitted underground, above ground, under the house or even built in the wall and foundations of the house.

They don't take long to fill up. For every square metre of roof catchment, one millimetre of rain, will give you one litre of water.

• For instance, 100 sq/m roof x 10 mm rain =1000 litre water.

How easy is that? Connect it up to your drip system then forget it. Now that's one more job you don't have to worry about, and don't forget the Sydney Water rebates.

So now you can light up the barbeque, open a bottle of Christmas chardonnay, sit back with your family, friends and admire the great work that you have achieved all year in the garden. There is nothing more satisfying.

Congratulations!

This article is brought to you by Neville O'Connor of United Home Services. Contact United Home Services for all your landscaping needs on Ph: 9838 0444 or 0418 405 670. For more local information view our My Local Guide Business Directory listing in Garden Maintenance, Landscaping and Lawnmowing or the national website: www.uhs.com.au