Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/122153
Image: Landart backyard Travel-proof your garden Travelling for your job, especially if you're a FIFO worker, often means leaving your garden unattended for an extended time. Matt Leacy has some tips for travel-proofing your garden. When you're constantly on the move it can be difficult to keep your garden looking healthy and vibrant, especially if you've only recently planted it out. New plants require a lot of water and TLC to get them through the establishment period. Plus, setting up a garden costs money and, importantly, time. Good-quality, nutritious soil is essential for your plants, as is water – the ingredient you need to monitor and control, especially during the warmer months or "Consider an irrigation system and think of it as an insurance policy of sorts." Above: Plant choice and irrigation make this a water-wise garden, needing less attention while its owner is away. cooler, windy days. During those times, water provides the main lifeline to your plants. So, if you travel a lot, how are you going to water your garden? Consider an irrigation system and think of it as an insurance policy of sorts. This will take care of the watering while you are away. Like most insurance policies, it comes with disclaimers – 'Does not cover possum attacks' and 'Does not remove weeds' – but it will do some of the hard work to keep your garden alive while you're absent. There are many different types of irrigation systems, so selecting one will depend on the size of your property and your budget. If you want to install it yourself, keep it simple and install a battery-operated drip line system. Running from the tap, all it will require is the following: • A double-headed outlet so you can still use the tap without unplugging the irrigation system. • A battery-operated timer, enabling you to set how long you want it to run for and on which days. • A flow adjustor to reduce the flow pressure for the drip line. • Backflow prevention to stop water flowing back into the mains system. • Nineteen-millimetre poly pipe to transfer the water to the drip line. • Drip line tubing to run over and between your plants, providing drops of water to slowly soak the soil and minimise run-off. Once you've installed the drip line system, pin the pipe to the soil with galvanised pins, and cover it and all the garden beds with a layer of about 100 millimetres of mulch to retain moisture and provide insulation. If you're going away for an extended period when extreme weather is predicted at home, adjust the system to come on more or less often to cover those days. Usually, the best time to water the garden is early morning, as you lose less water to evaporation and give the plants a kick-start to the day. A timer will help to get the watering done early while you enjoy your breakfast. A watering system means you can go away and not be concerned about the garden. Or you can stay at home and have more time to do the things you love, like planning your next holiday. Garden guru Matt Leacy loves all things outdoors and is passionate about inspiring others to create and enjoy beautiful and functional spaces outside. Visit: www.landart.com.au 41