As we move into our final months of an extraordinary summer, water should remain a top priority. Maintaining a garden with a restricted water supply is an enormous challenge; yet it’s refreshing to see just how innovative gardeners can be when they’re put to the test. With clever water-saving and retention methods, and a shift in focus towards hardier, drought-resistant plant varieties, many of our green-fingered community have proven that it’s possible to maintain that all-important touch of green.

Feed and grow

• Continue to pick your flowering roses and dead head old ones to encourage final growth
• Control aphids, scale, insects and more with the McGregor's Spraying Oil
• Water, water, water - it's hot a dry, so you need to keep on top of moisture levels. Keep an eye on moisture levels with the Moisture Meter
• As you finish up a plant, remove the plant and mulch and feed with home-made compost
• Use grass and plant clippings (from pruning) as mulch in your garden beds.
• Remember to pull up any weeds before they go to seed and cause more problems for the future. Weeds rob your plants of valuable water and nutrients, so right now couldn’t be a better time to get rid of them
• Spray driveways and paving with weed killer like McGregor’s Path and Patio Weedout
• Surround the trees with a thick layer of organic mulch to help keep the soil moist and protect the roots from the heat of the sun
• Sustain indoor and outdoor container plants with a fertiliser like PlantMax

Plant Vegetables

Kalettes, Radicchio, Okra, Chilli, Parnsip, Cape Gooseberry, Chinese Cabbage, Broccoflower, Artichoke, Turnip, Swede, Squash, Microgreens, Sage, Rosemary, Rocket, Mint, Lavender, Dill, Coriander, Gherkin, Chamomile, Brussel Sprouts, Basil, Beans, Beetroots, Broccoli, Capsicum, Brussell Sprouts, Carrot, Chives, Cucumber, Eggplant, Fennel, Kohl Rabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mesclun, Mustard Greens, Onion, Oregano, Parsely, Rhubarb, Radish, Radish, Silverbeet, Spinach, Sweet Corn, Zucchini

Plant Flowers

Wildflower, Poppy, Cosmos, Swan Plant, Phacelia, Gypsophila, Dahlia, Swan Plant, Zinnia, Wildflower Mix, Sunflower, Poppy, Marigold, Lupin, Zinnia, Nasturtium, Lupin, Lobelia, Hollyhock, Foxglove, Delphinium, Cottage Garden, Aquilegia, Alyssum

OTHER FRESH IDEAS

Mulch, mulch, mulch
Mulch is any substance that can be placed on the soil surface around plants to help keep the moisture in the soil. It’s one of the easiest and most affordable ways to save water in your garden and comes in both organic and inorganic forms:

• Organic mulch, which comes from plant or animal sources, is considered the best type of mulch as it conserves water and provides the soil with nutrients as it slowly breaks down. Examples include compost, pine needles, grass clippings, bark chips, straw, peat and leaves.
• Inorganic mulch doesn’t break down, but acts as a physical barrier that helps to keep moisture in the soil. Examples include stones and gravel.

Succulents
Succulents are the perfect plants for novice (or forgetful!) gardeners, as well as gardening aficionados. The name of the ‘cannot die’ succulent is a telling indicator of the hardiness of many of these plants; importantly, they require very little water, which makes them a great choice for both indoor and outdoor spaces when water is scarce. While there’s a vast abundance of succulent types, some species are easier to care for and more versatile in homes and gardens, among them the echeveria (rock rose), crassula (jade plant), cotyldedon (kanniedood), aloe and sedum (stonecrop) are a good few to try.