With the general interest in conserving water and, consequently, also saving money, many are interested to learn how feasible it is to use grey water for irrigating lawns and gardens.

What exactly is grey water and how can it be reused?

Technically, grey water is household wastewater from the laundry and the bathroom (just the showers, baths, and basins, though). This may be reused to water domestic gardens. On the other hand, water that got flushed down the toilet and went down the kitchen sink is called black water, and it’s not suitable for reuse on account of its potentially high levels of bacteria, fat, and solid content.

Thanks to a growing public consciousness and resulting conscience about water conservation, many have begun diverting grey water from the house and into the garden to irrigate green spaces, not only during times of low rainfall and water restrictions, but year round. When it is done correctly, using grey water in the garden is, indeed, a superb way to save water and money.

The average Australian household of 2.5 people uses up about 124,100 litres of grey water each year. That’s more water than your standard garden needs in that duration of time. The other great thing about grey water is that there’s usually plenty of it throughout the year, provided the house is a primary residence.

There have been questions about the wholesomeness of using grey water in the garden, and the safest answer would be to proceed with caution since the quality and performance of grey water irrigation vary depending on a number of factors, such as the type of grey water used, the type of plants being watered, the soil structure and type, etc. Nonetheless, the following are the definitive instructions given by the experts.

Since it could contain germs from our bodies, do not use grey water to water vegetables and ground-welling herbs that are usually eaten raw. When it comes to fruit trees and vines, however, applying grey water is fine since there is no direct contact between the water and the fruit or part of the plant that is ingested.

As for general plantings, keep in mind that there are acid-loving plants out there, so you might not want to use grey water with detergents in it since these are often alkaline.

Don’t let these restrictions discourage you from reusing grey water. To ease your worries, however, you may want to consider a professionally installed, fail-safe grey water treatment system which will save you time and effort. It may also make you eligible for a rebate.

Contact Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 or book online for a free, no-obligation quote!

Very few fruits can rival citrus fruits when it comes to versatility. They’re used in a wide variety of cuisines and they remain one of the more popular flavours for beverages and desserts. Furthermore, citrus fruits are commonly used in a wide range of non-food items, from dishwashing liquids to perfumes and cosmetics.

It is a wonder, then, that citrus trees are often ignored by Australians.

The citrus family is believed to have originated from Southeast Asia, specifically from the Malay archipelago. Most of the basic varieties that are propagated today trace their roots back to China by as much as 4,000 years ago.

Later on, lemons and bitter oranges were introduced to Europe via the Arabs. Vasco de Gama is credited for the introduction of sweet oranges to the Portuguese back in 1498. This is the reason why many citrus varieties carry names derived from both Portugal and Spain.

But don’t let the names fool you. For example, the Emperor mandarin may sound like it was first cultivated in China but it originated here in Australia.

But why should you consider planting citrus trees in your backyard?

For one, you will have a steady supply of citrus fruits you can use for a wide variety of dishes. Apart from that, citrus trees are a sight to behold especially when their flowers begin to blossom. These flowers have an appealing scent that can wow you and your guests. And unlike other fruit trees, you do not have to immediately harvest citrus fruits. You can simply leave those on the tree and not worry about their condition.

Take note that, in general, citrus trees require excellent soil quality plus ample sunlight. These make these trees ideal for cultivation in Sydney, Brisbane and other areas up north. They can be cultivated in Melbourne, but if you live in Tasmania or in the mountains, you have to look for other suitable fruit trees to plant.

For the best backyard citrus trees to cultivate, here are our recommendations.

Oranges

If you are keen on planting oranges, choose the seedless Valencia variety which is suitable for planting in different areas in the country. Apart from being seedless, this plant is quite hardy and grows fast. The fruits are sweet especially during winter.

Cumquats

If you are planning to plant cumquats, we recommend the Nagami and Calamondin varieties. The Nagami is the sweeter of the two and is best enjoyed off the tree. Typically, the tree grows up to 4m tall, making it suitable for potting.

The Calamondin, on the other hand, is one of the most stunning among citrus plants. Like the Nagami, the Calamondin can be grown as a pot plant and gives out fruits multiple times a year.

Lemons

Need a steady supply of lemons? Consider planting the Eureka. This lemon variety grows quite well in most areas in Australia, except the colder areas in Melbourne. This variety is quite prolific, giving out at least one fruit every day. The Lisbon and Meyer lemons are better suited for the cooler regions of Australia.

Grapefruits

For grapefruits, we recommend red varieties like the Wheeny and the Mash Seedless which are renowned for their sweetness.

Limes

For those interested in cultivating lime, we recommend the Tahitian, West Indian and the Kaffir. The Tahitian has a taste akin to lemon and is among the most cold-tolerant varieties. The West Indian has the best flavour among the three while the Kaffir is perfect for Thai cuisine.

Dwarf citrus

If you are looking for a citrus plant for your small garden, we recommend Valencia and Navel for oranges, Eureka and Meyer for lemons, Emperor for mandarins and Tahiti for limes.

Alternatively, you can opt for double-grafted citrus. The varieties we recommend are Washington Navel orange and Meyer Lemon, Washington Navel orange and Tahiti lime, and Meyer lemon and Tahiti lime.

Jim’s Mowing are happy to help you with your garden, you can reach us on 0800 454 654 or book online for a free, no-obligation quote!

If you’re interested in having a water feature in your garden, you need to make sure that you plan for it well. It’s not just about its design and layout or the water plants you’re going to use; it’s also about the impact of such an addition to your property. For instance, it’s not advisable at all to have one if you have little children — living with you or visiting often — to worry about.

If you’re pretty much decided, you need to visualise how you’ll go about creating your water feature. An example of a good water feature structure involves an above ground pool created with rolled chequer plate steel, about 90 cm in height and a metre across. The bottom is filled with compacted sand, serving as a base for a solid pond liner. The interior is lined with flexible poly-liner, which works to create a boggy or marshy area connecting the pond itself and the outer frame. The rigid liner goes into the centre of the frame and soil is added to fill the outer area of the bog zone.

Some good choices to plant along the bog are Queensland Arrowroot (Canna edulis) and Green Taro (Colocasia esculenta). Both plants have edible roots. They’re also tall enough to provide shade for the other plants. You could also add a Samphire, the shoots of which you can also eat. Other possibilities include different kinds of mint, such as Chocolate Mint, Vietnamese Mint, and Basil Mint.

Inside the pond, you could place a wide but shallow terracotta bowl set on bricks, low enough so it’s submerged in the water, but almost skimming the surface. This provides the correct depth for Water Chestnuts, the foliage of which will push above the water. Besides having edible corms that can be harvested in the wintertime, it will also provide a frog habitat.

You could put in some upside down terracotta pipes which will serve as planting pockets for even more edible water plants. Lebanese Cress, for one, is delicious and thrives well in little soil as it floats cheerfully on the water surface. Other salad greens you should consider adding are some Water Parsley and juicy English Watercress.

Now, another very valid concern when considering putting in a water feature is the mosquito population, definitely not something you want to encourage. It’s a good idea to add fish like Pygmy Perch to help eliminate mosquito larvae. Frogs and aquatic insects will also help, and pretty soon, you’ll have a thriving (not to mention edible) aquatic habitat to soothe the spirit, delight the eyes, and contribute to your dinner.

A good tip to keep in mind is to use rain water in filling your water feature. This is suitable for supporting fish right away. When you use tap water, you have to wait and let it stand for 24 hours in full sunlight to get rid of the chlorine.

Jim’s Mowing are the garden specialists and are happy to help with any gardening queries that you might have. Just call on 0800 454 654 or book online for your free, no-obligation quote.

Flowering trees offer a different kind of beauty to the exterior space of various properties; what’s even nicer about them is they often change hues over time. In Australia, there’s a diverse mix of flowering trees that homeowners can select from to improve the aesthetic appeal of their outdoor space, and among the best flowering trees in the country (and the rest of the world, actually) are crepe myrtles which reach different heights and spreads, and come in different variants.

Crepe myrtles or Lagerstroemia indica are native to eastern Asia and Australia and they are distinguished by their vase-shape and trusses of white, different depths of pink, and purple flowers that have a crepe-like texture, which typically appear late in the summer. These flowering trees are easily pruned to maintain their beautiful, natural shape, and when summer turns to autumn, the leaves turn into a visual delight of yellow green, yellow, orange (rust) and red before they actually fall. And in addition to their pretty flowers and the changing colours of their leaves, crepe myrtles also look particularly nice because of their coloured, smooth, mottled trunks.

The crepe myrtle is a favourite among gardeners, particularly the native and Indian Summer range, because they grow easily and are resistant to powdery

mildew, a fungal disease that often attacks older crepe varieties. Likewise, they have good cold tolerance — they don’t require special care when warm weather turns cool.

To keep these flowering trees healthy, Jim’s Mowing advises keeping them properly hydrated, especially in the summer. Make sure that you water them long and deeply to encourage roots to go deeper as well and have the ability to “forage” for additional moisture; this is so that even when the top soil is parched, these trees will continue to grow and yield the beauty they are known for.

And to further reduce the risk of powdery mildew, make sure that there’s good air circulation in the garden. As for weeds that like to grow at the base of the tree, aside from strategic mowing, the introduction of fresh mulch can take care of them. Meanwhile, to encourage fresh growth and maintain the nice vase shape they have, especially during the turnover of seasons, prune wilted leaves and branches — when you do so, you can expect new flowers to sprout soon.

Crepe myrtles can be found in all nurseries in the country; they are very affordable — just about $20 a pot for really young seedlings.

For all of your gardening needs, call Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 or book online for a free, no-obligation quote!