February is here and it is known to be one of Australia’s hottest months. If not prepared, hot summer days can be extremely damaging to your plants and lawn. Dehydration causes plants to stress, which can cause their leaves to become wilted.
It is important that your garden is ready to withstand any hot days that may arise throughout this time of the year. Below are some ideas and easy solutions on how you can keep your garden alive during the last month of summer.
SOIL
After a long summer a serious issue that can highly affect the success of your garden is when your soil becomes hydrophobic. When soil is hydrophobic it repels water rather than absorbing it. The danger of this is wasting litres of water on your garden and your plants not absorbing any of the vital nutrients. Sandy soil is generally more water repellent than other soils.
WETTING AGENT
To minimise the chance of your soil becoming hydrophobic we recommend using a wetting agent. Wetting agents break through the waxy coating on the soil. This allows the water to penetrate into the soil, however wetting agents do not improve the content of your soil. To achieve the best results we recommend improving your soil with an organic matter after applying the wetting agent.
IMPROVING SOIL WITH ORGANIC MATTER
Improving the water holding capacity of soil is a challenging process if you have a lawn, however a garden is slightly easier. Organic matter along with products that contain bentonite clay can be dug into the soil along with animal manures.
For already established lawns we suggest top dressing. Use a top-dressing mix with organic matter, along with a fertiliser that is animal manure based. This process will take time, however every bit helps.
TIME OF DAY TO WATER
We highly recommend watering early in the morning before the sun rises and temperatures increase. Plants and lawns need to be hydrated early morning in order for them to withstand the hot day ahead. Watering your plants early hours of the morning will be in line with your plants growing cycle and will reduce the risk of fungal damage. Fungal damage is caused when your plants do not have enough sunlight to dry and absorb the water.
Plants receive their water from their roots and humidity. To ensure you have a waterwise garden and to make the most of your watering we suggest soaker hoses, dripping hose or dripscape which will give your soil and plants a deep soak. An additional benefit to watering early morning is that there is generally less wind at this time of the day. Less wind means less water evaporation from your soil.
SHADE CLOTHS
During extra hot summer days plants are at risk of sunburn. Shade cloths can be used to cover your garden beds and pot plants to protect them from harsh direct sunlight. Shade cloths are available in different grades that reduce UV. They are a great solution to get your garden through the summer season.
SPRINKLER DECISIONS
Sprinklers come in various different shapes, sizes and spray different distances. Majority of our sprinklers are available in either metal or plastic to provide the best option for your garden. Every garden has different watering requirements and our sprinkler range features various spray radius ranging from 3m – 12m.
Sprinklers have large or fine droplets that are made for different applications. Fine droplets are great for watering a small area and large droplets are necessary if you’re in a location that receives strong wind. We have put together the guide below to help you choose the right sprinkler for your garden or lawn.
HOSE END SPRINKLERS
Our hose end sprinklers include a 12mm snap-on adaptor making it super quick and easy to connect your garden hose and start watering. Sprinklers attached to a garden hose make them mobile, you can easily relocate them to another location in your garden.
| Product | Features | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
SH2200RCW METAL DOME SPRINKLER  | • 3m radius • Robust construction • Long lasting • Includes 12mm snap on hose fitting | • Mobile sprinkler • Ideal for small lawns • Pets cannot chew • Quick connection to a garden hose |
7445H 3 ARM ROTATING SPRINKLER  | • 8m radius • Full circle even water coverage • Heavy duty metal base | • Connects to standard 12mm hose fittings • Female thread allows you to attach other sprinkler heads • Pets cannot chew • Portable sprinkler • Ideal for medium sized lawns |
7450H LARGE SHAKER ON WEIGHTED BASE  | • 6m radius • Full circle shaker spray pattern • Low volume • Ideal for low/ normal water pressure • Even water distribution • 15mm female threaded fitting | • Robust plastic weighted base construction • Connects to standard 12mm hose fittings • Ideal for medium sized lawns |
7017H METAL BRASS SPRINKLER WITH BRASS FAN SPRAY  | • Fine spray • Sprays 4m each side & 2m forward • Robust metal brass construction • Metal spike attached | • Ideal for flower beds, garden beds and borders • 12mm brass snap on connects to standard 12mm hose fittings |
7777H METAL IMPACT SPRINKLER w/ TIMER BASE  | • 6m – 12m radius • 2 hour timer base • Heavy duty impact sprinkler • Full and part circle operation • Easy adjustment to desired spray pattern • Deflector provides even spray | • 2 hour timer base provides controlled watering • Ideal for medium – large lawns |
5020HP 8 FUNCTION SPRINKLER SPIKE  | • Radius is controlled by water pressure • 8 spray functions, stream strip, square, narrow strip, shower ring, strip, half circle, dome, rectangle. | • Connect inline for lawn watering • Weave through garden beds • Easy dial setting selection • Ideal for lawns, nature strips and thin gardens |
2865H OSCILLATING SPRINKLER ADJUSTABLE  | • Rectangular spray pattern • Adjustable spray pattern • Maximum coverage of 200m2 • Self cleaning pin | • Ideal for large lawn areas, median strips or narrow lawns • Adjustable levers allow you to water up to an edge |
SH3110C METAL IMPACT SPRINKLER | • 6m – 12m radius • Tough and robust construction • Adjustable spray pattern • Full circle coverage • Available in plastic • 15mm male threaded adaptor | • Can be screwed into sprinkler base, riser tube or hose end spike • Ideal for large lawns • Pets cannot chew • Good for corner spray coverage • Medium spray droplets • Good for windy areas |
7700H TRAVELLING SPRINKLER TRACTOR  | • 4.5m – 13.5m diameter • Durable construction with a heavy duty cast iron body. • Self propelled 2 speed gearbox • Front wheel travels the path of the garden hose • Use with 12mm & 18mm garden hose • Can travel up to 60m • Full circle coverage | • Ideal for extra large lawns • Weave hose to follow any pattern you need • Great water distribution |
METAL/PLASTIC SPIKE SPRINKLERS
Sprinkler heads that attach to a spike are great for garden beds and are easy to spike into softer soils and sandy soils. Spike sprinklers are ideal for watering uneven surfaces.
| Product | Features | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
SH2300 BUTTERFLY SPRINKLER HEAD  | • 4 – 5m radius • Female thread • Full circle spray pattern | • Built to suit the Australian environment • Great water coverage • Ideal for small – medium sized lawns • Easy instalment – screw onto any metal spike |
SPRINKLER HEADS THAT ATTACH TO POLY RISER
Having your sprinklers on poly risers is a great way to have permanent sprinklers in your garden bed. Attached to poly pipe you can have automatic irrigation with either a tap timer or soleniod controller.
| Product | Features | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
SH2710 MINI METAL BUTTERFLY SPRINKLER  | • 3 – 4m radius • Cast metal body • Full circle spray pattern • Screws onto ½” rigid riser • Gentle rotating stream | • Ideal for garden beds and small landscape areas • Even watering • Durable construction to withstand all weather applications. |
SH2721 BRASS MICRO SPRAY JETS  | • Jets available in full, ½ and ¼ circle sprays | • Provide sufficient water to small garden areas • Efficient spray when watering an area that does not receive wind |
SH2704 BRASS MINI SPRAY JETS  | • Durable brass available in ½ and full circle sprays • 2-3m deep soaking | • Great for large garden beds with perennial plants and dense foliage • Great water distribution |
ALTERNATIVE WATERING OPTIONS
In addition to sprinklers you may want to use a form of dripping hose to water your garden beds. Dripping hoses are great at getting water directly to the plant roots. Consider the options below for garden bed irrigation.
| Product | Features | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
PD1350PC DRIPSCAPE | • Available in 13mm x 50M 13mm x 100M 13mm x 200M • Drippers spaced every 300mm • Drip line allows for fluctuating water pressure • Diaphragm inside drippers regulates constant water flow. • ‘No drain’ feature prevents debris being sucked into the pipe | • Supplies precise amounts of water to lawns and garden areas via calibrated drippers within the tube. • Can be installed on the soil surface or covered with mulch |
3316HM DRIPPING HOSE  | • Available in 15m hose with 3 flow discs 30m hose with 3 flow discs (Flow discs regulate water flow) • Use above ground • Watersmart approved • Connects to 13mm or 19mm poly pipe | • Reduces evaporation • Waters directly to the root zone • System can be flushed by unscrewing the end plug |
GHS10F SOAKER HOSE  | • Available in 10/20/30m • Reliable and even watering pattern • Spray fine multi-directional streams that provide an even watering strip • Sprays 3-4m across | • Ideal for watering lawns • Quick and easy to relocate • Can snake through garden beds and water curved shaped gardens |
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My husband would like to keep our garden vibrant and green throughout the summer, but we’re not sure how to do so in the heat. Your information that a drip irrigation system would allow the plants to get a deep soak into their roots is really helpful. We’ll start looking into having an irrigation system like this installed on our property.
My husband would like to keep our garden vibrant and green throughout the summer, but we’re not sure how to do so in the heat. Your information that a drip irrigation system would allow the plants to get a deep soak into their roots is really helpful. We’ll start looking into having an irrigation system like this installed on our property.
What is the guaranteed life of your soaker hoses?
Can I buy direct on line?
Hi Joyce,
Thanks for getting touch. For our Soaker Hose we can offer a 1 year guarantee. Our products aren’t available direct from Holman online as we are a wholesaler, however you can use our Store Locator to find your nearest retailer.
Cheers,
Nathan
What is the guaranteed life of your soaker hoses?
Can I buy direct on line?
Hi Joyce,
Thanks for getting touch. For our Soaker Hose we can offer a 1 year guarantee. Our products aren’t available direct from Holman online as we are a wholesaler, however you can use our Store Locator to find your nearest retailer.
Cheers,
Nathan