"Nicolas Steenhout" wrote in message...
Would love to hear from folks that have been dealing with watering
restrictions and fairly high heat during day time as to what they've gone
to
for soil.

Welcome to the Southern Hemisphere, don't move to Australia if you're
finding NZ difficult ;-)) This is more of a stream of conciousness thing.

I'm in Perth, Western Australia. We have watering restrictions - they are
sprinklers may only be used twice a week on set days, before 9am and after
6pm. Hand water is ok. Join my bonsai club and you can run one sprinkler
station (multiple sprinkler heads/misters/sprayers) once a day, everyday but
ONLY for bonsai, ie. you need a defined 'bonsai area'. I'm bone lazy and
know buggerawl about sprinkler systems, so I hand water.

First off protect the trees from the wind. Try not to place trees on paving
or 'natural' stone 'features', otherwise they'll cook from both directions.
Nestling them in around ferns/short, soft ground cover 'herbacious' like
plants seems to work well. Under shade trees is great, the intensity of
light here in Australia is such that quite heavy shade will still give your
trees adequate light.

With temps from 25 to ~31degC you'll probably get away with only one
watering in the mid morning to noon-time.
Any hotter and unless your trees are under shade (shade cloth is great
stuff, many of my fellow club members use it - I don't as my place has lots
of 'shade trees') and NOT on bricks -- you will have to water more. Twice a
day - mid morning and mid to late afternoon is usually sufficient

35degC on up and you are hand watering 3 times or more per day. One year in
Perth we had 1 MONTH where the temp was 39degC or higher (mostly higher).
Being a uni student then, new to the hobby and trees on bricks (but under
shade) - I had the time to water 3 times per day (more if it was really
hot). The trees (maple, junipers, pommegranates, chinese elm and paperbark
aka Melealucca sp?) all survived well (maple leaves went crispy though).
With some trees I layered old leaves of anything on top of the pots to help
prevent/retard evaporation.

Nowadays having had a whole 3 or so more years (!*S*) of trees in pots and
siting the trees better (under shade, on vegetation), they survive and
thrive on 1 heavy watering per day. Very high temps, 35+, I may or may not
water again in the evening (often in WA the temp can *reach* 40 at 5pm).

I realize it's a very personal matter and might vary from tree type to
another. In the past, I've used fast draining soil (with more or less
organics in it). But that needs more regular watering. I am now facing
some rather high UV levels (highest in the world, arguably), heat, sun,
etc.
While we haven't gone into watering restrictions yet, this is looming
closer
and closer.

My soils are pretty fast draining, try expanding the organic content. If you
have a large back/front yard which is established/tough, investigate using
grey water for irrigation (NB in some areas of Australia this is
illegal/restricted, NZ may have restrictions also). For a newly
established/establishing garden - try to put off establishing it until later
, mulch really well, pick the water efficient plants, use 'wetting
agents', establish drip irrigation where necessary (either running off your
garden hose/s or mains fed) and to some extent 'bite the bullet' and water.

Any feedback on this greatly appreciated :-)

nic

Do you have any pics of the garden Nic?

Cheers,
Heidi Aussie