You can grow your lawn stronger this dry season and save water around your home by using these tried and tested Townsville turf-friendly tips and tricks.
Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney said damage to the supply pipeline for Council's Northern Water Treatment Plant during this year's wet season meant conserving water was essential.
"More than 70 per cent of total household water is used on lawns and gardens, but we can work together to reduce our water use and our residents can help by create stronger lawns across our city," Cr Greaney said.
"Townsville residents have been doing a great job sticking to medium-level water restrictions and using their water responsibly, which is wonderful to see. What we need now is for that responsible water use to continue during the dry season, especially when it comes to you caring for your lawn.
"Council has taken the Northern Water Treatment Plant offline while our team is repairing the pipeline, which means all water for Townsville homes and businesses is coming from the Douglas Water Treatment Plant.
"When you help by reducing your water use, we all benefit as a community and Council can reduce pressure on the Douglas Water Treatment Plant. When you are growing resilient gardens suited to our dry tropics environment it really helps."
Residents can help their lawns by adjusting their watering schedule depending on the weather conditions. With the sun out and cooler temperatures setting in, Townsville lawns need no more than 25mm of water per week.
Hermit Park resident and pharmacist James Jensen said he took lawn care and soil health seriously at home, which included harnessing water-smart techniques.
"I'm very passionate about having a healthy lawn, as soil and garden health impact our environmental and physical health," Mr Jensen said.
"I like to water my lawn deeply once or twice a week at most to encourage deep root growth as well as reduce fungal disease, and I also mow high during drier periods to encourage deeper roots, shade the soil to retain moisture and reduce weed competition.
"Healthy soils create healthy lawns, so I use products like seaweed-based fertilisers to enrich the soil with microbes and minerals, which vastly increase the water holding capacity of the soil, meaning they can be watered less often and are less susceptible to pests."
Other tips for using water effectively in your garden:
- Give your catcher a break and allow clippings to recharge soil nutrients.
- Use a low-flow sprinkler.
- Plant trees to increase shade on your lawn.
- Use a tap timer.
- Aerate your soil.
Medium-level water restrictions include:
- Sprinkler use: 5–7am or 6–8pm on odds-and-evens days.
- Handheld watering anytime.
- Vehicle and boat washing with a bucket.
- Hard surface cleaning with pressure washers only.
- Businesses with high water use, like nurseries, should avoid watering between 9am–4pm and use water-efficient systems outside those hours.
Council is continuing to reduce its water usage by 3.5ML daily through adjustments to irrigation systems.
