It’s often hard to find the perfect balance in watering your garden enough to keep it thriving and being water-wise to save money and the environment. The upcoming 2026 summer is gearing up to be one of the hottest, driest seasons, since an El Niño has been announced by the Bureau of Meteorology. Drought is a possibilty, as are water restrictions, so keeping your plants hydrated without wasting too much water is a tricky balance.
But there are two surefire ways to save on water, and neither of them requires any effort.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The 2026 summer season has been announced as an El Niño by BOM. This means hotter temperatures, drier weather and the possibility of drought.
- Using anti-leak fittings and hoses, or installing drip irrigation, is guaranteed to save on water in the garden
- Hoselink is an Australian-owned outdoor brand that has all your garden watering needs covered.
- Use Hoselink’s iconic Retractable Hose Reel for leak-free watering. It’s built for Australian weather and UV stabilised, so it won’t crack or degrade in the heat.
- Try installing drip irrigation with Hoselink’s irrigation kit for hands-free watering.
Anti-leak fittings mean less water waste
A leaking tap or hose can mean litres of water wasted down the drain every month. Using good quality, anti-leak fittings will keep water wastage at a minimum. Hoselink’s iconic Retractable Hose Reel is fitted with patented no-burst hose fittings to ensure not a single drop of water is misspent. Made with UV protection built in, you won’t have to worry about cracks or degradation during hot weather.
If you’ve already got a hose set up in the garden, try Hoselink’s Water Wise Starter Kit, with sprayer and hose connections. This kit is Smart Drop Certified, and comes with a Universal Tap Connector that is 100% watertight. The best part is, they’ve got a guarantee that their patented hose fittings will never leak or burst off your hose.
Irrigation helps control water usage
Drip irrigation releases water slowly and directly to the roots of your plants. This means less water is used than when you water by hand, and your garden can stay hydrated without any effort.
You can buy all the piping and materials yourself, or purchase a drip irrigation kit to make the job easier. Hoselink has a range of irrigation kits, along with extra piping and Bluetooth-operated timers.
3 tips for saving water in the garden
Choose the right plants
Some plants don’t require as much water as others, so putting them in will give you a great head start on saving water. For plants that are used to drought periods and can withstand less watering, Aussie natives are the way to go. Head to your local nursery to check which plants are endemic to your area, as these will work best with your soil and climate.
Succulents and cacti are another option as they are native to dry, desert climates. Before any planting, improve the soil with organic matter as it helps the soil retain moisture.
Water at the right time
The best time to water your garden is the early morning or in the evening. This will reduce the amount of water lost due to evaporation and give the plants water to survive the day’s heat. The best way to water is less frequently but more thoroughly. Irrigation works well for this, as you can use timers to set a watering schedule for any time you like.
Water your garden less often, but for longer
Instead of watering plants in small increments every day, it’s actually more effective to give them a good soak less often, to encourage roots to grow down into the soil, where it’s cooler and promote a good, firm, drought-tolerant root system.
