With summer here and the ground starting to dry out, gardeners are relying more on the hose to feed their plants liquid gold.

In Tauranga, as part of the Water Watchers Plan, use of sprinklers and irrigation systems is banned from December-January.

The plan permits use of hand-held hoses – and low-volume micro-irrigation systems – for garden watering for one hour between 7pm and 10pm from December-February.

Bore and rainwater tank use and watering using buckets or watering cans is permitted but the council recommends doing it outside the heat of the day.

Here are some top water-saving tips from the Tauranga City Council Water Watchers Plan.

Moisture test

Before you decide to water, stick your finger into the soil. If it is moist below the surface, you don’t need to water.

Frequent, light watering encourages shallow roots, so aim for longer but less frequent watering at the plants’ roots to encourage them to grow deeper in search of moisture.

As a rule of thumb, watering – or rainfall, alternatively – for less than 30 minutes twice a week is about right for average-sized gardens.

Water plants in the evening when it’s cooler so your plants keep the moisture for longer. Get a trigger nozzle for your hose so water only goes where you want it to. Mulch your garden: it slows evaporating water and keeps weeds down, too.

Put a bucket in your shower and use this water again for watering non-edible plants.

Keep your lawn long through summer to cover the roots – this helps to keep the moisture in. Also, it’s a good idea not to cut your lawn by more than one-third of the grass length at one time for the same reason.

Choose plants wisely

Leave lawn clippings on the lawn to form a mini-mulch and retain moisture for longer. Micro-irrigation systems that deliver water at or below the surface of the ground are very efficient as they water plant roots, not leaves. The slow rate of water means it’s all absorbed by your plants, too.

And invest in a tap timer so irrigation or sprinkler systems aren’t accidently left on.

When choosing new plants, choose ones native or suitable to the area as they’ll be accustomed to growing in the Bay of Plenty climate. You can group plants with similar watering needs together to limit the areas that need watering and ensure the plants that don’t need much water aren’t taking away from the ones that need more.

Keep on top of weeds as they compete for your plants’ water. For more information and tips, see www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/water/how-to-save-water/water-watchers