7 Easy Ways to Save Water in Your Garden During Perth's Warmer Months
Keep your garden thriving, reduce water waste and give your plants the best chance of surviving the summer heat!
We all know Perth summers can be brutal! Between scorching temperatures, long dry spells and very little rainfall, keeping your garden looking healthy can feel like a full-time job.
And when the temperatures start climbing, so can your water bills!
But here's the good news: keeping your garden green doesn't have to mean using endless amounts of water.
With a few smart gardening choices, you can help your soil retain moisture, reduce unnecessary watering and create a beautiful outdoor space that's better equipped to handle the heat.
At Murray River Mulch, we're all about helping Perth homeowners create beautiful, practical and low-maintenance gardens. So we've put together seven simple ways to save water in your garden this summer!
1. Mulch, Mulch and More Mulch!
You didn't think we'd write a gardening blog without mentioning mulch, did you?
When it comes to protecting your garden during summer, mulch is one of your best friends!
A quality layer of mulch acts as a protective blanket over your soil, helping to reduce the amount of moisture lost through evaporation.
Without mulch, exposed soil can quickly heat up and dry out under Perth's intense summer sunshine.
Adding mulch to your garden beds can help:
Reduce evaporation: Keep valuable moisture in your soil for longer.
Regulate soil temperatures: Protect delicate plant roots from extreme heat.
Suppress weeds: Reduce competition for water and nutrients.
Improve soil health: Organic mulches gradually break down, adding beneficial organic matter to your garden.
For most garden beds, we recommend applying approximately 50–75 mm of mulch, ensuring you leave some space around plant stems and tree trunks.
At Murray River Mulch, we stock a variety of mulches to suit your garden's needs, including:
Pure Grow Mulch
Premium Hardwood Mulch
Aged Arbor Mulch
Landscaper Chunky Mulch
Natural Woodchips
Whether you're looking for a natural finish or a darker, premium appearance, our range can help protect your garden while giving it a fresh new look.
2. Improve Your Soil's Water-Holding Capacity with Soil Conditioner
Here's something many homeowners don't realise: sometimes the problem isn't how much water you're giving your garden, but how well your soil can hold onto it!
Perth is known for its sandy soils, which can drain quickly and struggle to retain enough moisture for plants to access.
This means you could be spending time and money watering your garden, only for much of that water to drain beyond the reach of your plants.
That's where our Murray River Mulch Soil Conditioner comes in!
Our Soil Conditioner is specifically designed to improve soil structure and plant growth, making it a fantastic addition when preparing garden beds for the warmer months.
Made with high levels of quality composted mulch fines and peat, our Soil Conditioner helps improve the physical, biological and chemical characteristics of your soil.
Why choose our Soil Conditioner?
Improved water retention: Helps soil hold onto moisture for longer, reducing unnecessary water loss.
Increased organic matter: Adds valuable organic carbon to support healthier soil.
Improved soil structure: Helps create better growing conditions for your plants.
Healthier plant growth: Supports a stronger growing environment and root development.
AS4454 compliant: Meets the Australian Standard for composts, soil conditioners and mulches.
Fine consistency: Screened to 10 mm or less for easy incorporation into garden soil.
How to use our Soil Conditioner
For best results, blend our Soil Conditioner into your existing garden soil at a ratio of approximately one part Soil Conditioner to one part soil.
This helps improve the soil's organic matter content and water-holding capacity, particularly in sandy garden beds.
Our favourite water-saving combination? Soil Conditioner + Mulch!
Think of it this way:
Soil Conditioner helps your soil hold onto water, while mulch helps stop that water from evaporating.
Together, they can help create a more water-efficient garden that's better prepared for Perth's hot, dry conditions.
Our Soil Conditioner is available for $100 per m³, with bulk savings available.
Please note: Our Soil Conditioner is intended to be blended into soil and is not recommended for top-dressing established lawns.
3. Water Smarter, Not Harder
More water doesn't always mean healthier plants!
One of the most common gardening mistakes is watering too frequently without allowing moisture to reach deeper into the soil.
Instead of giving your garden a quick sprinkle every day, focus on watering deeply when needed.
This encourages plant roots to grow further into the soil, where moisture is better protected from the summer heat.
Our top watering tips:
Water during the cooler parts of the day, preferably early in the morning.
Check soil moisture below the surface before watering again.
Avoid watering paths, driveways and areas that don't need it.
Regularly inspect sprinklers and irrigation systems for leaks.
Follow your allocated watering days and current local restrictions.
Perth tip: Water Corporation has watering rosters and seasonal restrictions in place to help conserve water. Make sure you're familiar with the current requirements for your property.
And remember, improving your soil with Soil Conditioner and protecting it with mulch can help make the most of every watering session!
4. Choose Plants That Can Handle the Heat
Let's face it, Perth summers aren't exactly gentle!
Choosing plants suited to our climate is one of the easiest ways to reduce your garden's long-term water requirements.
Drought-tolerant plants and suitable Australian natives are often excellent choices for creating beautiful, low-maintenance gardens.
Some popular options include:
Kangaroo Paws: A colourful Australian favourite.
Westringia: A hardy shrub ideal for hedges and borders.
Grevilleas: Available in a wide variety of colours and sizes.
Coastal Rosemary: A versatile option for low-maintenance landscaping.
Succulents: Perfect for adding texture and variety with relatively low water needs.
Even drought-tolerant plants require regular watering while establishing, so don't forget to give new additions the care they need.
Bonus tip: Group plants with similar watering requirements together so you can water more efficiently.
5. Make Every Drop Count with Drip Irrigation
If you're still watering all your garden beds with a hose or overhead sprinklers, it might be worth considering a more targeted approach.
Drip irrigation delivers water slowly and directly to the soil around your plants, helping reduce water lost through overspray and evaporation.
It's particularly useful for garden beds, hedges and vegetable patches.
Benefits of drip irrigation include:
Water delivered closer to plant roots.
Less water wasted on surrounding areas.
Reduced wetting of plant foliage.
More control over how much water different plants receive.
For even better results, combine drip irrigation with improved soil and a protective layer of mulch.
Just ensure your irrigation system complies with local watering requirements.
6. Stop Letting Weeds Steal Your Water!
Weeds aren't just an eyesore. They're also thirsty little freeloaders!
Every weed growing in your garden is competing with your plants for valuable moisture and nutrients.
During summer, when water is already limited, this competition can put additional stress on your garden. Regularly removing weeds helps ensure your water is going towards the plants you actually want to grow. And here's another reason we love mulch!
A correctly applied layer of mulch helps block sunlight from reaching many weed seeds, reducing their chances of germinating.
Less weeds, less maintenance and less competition for water? Sounds like a win to us!
7. Prepare Your Garden Before the Heat Hits
One of the best ways to save water during summer is to get your garden ready before the hottest weather arrives.
Waiting until your plants are already struggling can mean spending more time, money and water trying to bring them back to life.
Instead, get ahead of the heat by:
Topping up garden beds with fresh mulch.
Improving sandy soils with quality Soil Conditioner.
Checking irrigation systems for leaks and uneven coverage.
Removing weeds before they become established.
Planting suitable varieties and allowing time for roots to establish.
Providing temporary shade for vulnerable plants during extreme heat.
A little preparation now can make a huge difference when those 40°C Perth days roll around!
The Ultimate Water-Saving Duo: Soil Conditioner and Mulch
If you're looking for a simple way to give your garden a head start this summer, improving your soil and protecting it with mulch is a great place to begin.
Here's why these two products work so well together:
Step 1: Improve what's underneath.
Blend Murray River Mulch Soil Conditioner into your existing soil to increase organic matter and improve its ability to retain moisture.
Step 2: Protect what's on top.
Apply a 50–75 mm layer of quality mulch over your garden beds to help reduce evaporation, regulate soil temperature and suppress weeds.
Step 3: Water efficiently.
With healthier soil and a protective layer of mulch, your garden is better equipped to make use of the water it receives.
It's a simple combination that can make a real difference to your garden's resilience during the warmer months.
Get Your Garden Summer-Ready with Murray River Mulch!
Saving water doesn't mean sacrificing the beautiful garden you've worked hard to create.
By making smarter choices about your soil, plants, watering habits and garden protection, you can create a healthier outdoor space that requires less maintenance throughout summer. At Murray River Mulch, we're here to make preparing your garden simple and affordable.
From our quality range of mulches to our AS4454-compliant Soil Conditioner, we've got the products to help you build a healthier, more water-efficient garden.
Whether you're starting a new garden bed, improving sandy soil or refreshing your existing landscaping, our team is ready to help.
Don't wait until your garden is feeling the heat!
Visit www.murray-river-mulch.com to browse our products, use our online calculator and arrange delivery straight to your property.
Murray River Mulch – Better soil, smarter watering and happier gardens! 🌱
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