Using Less Water in the Garden
How to Use Less Water in the Garden
Did you know that up to 50% of your water bill in the summer could be down to watering your garden? That's a big number and a lot of water!
As a limited resource we know that saving water is important and as gardeners we can do our bit to help. You can still have an amazing garden and save water. Not only is it good for the planet it will save you £££s in water bills. Read on to learn how to remain water wise and save water in your garden.
Collect rain water - invest in a waterbutt
Did you know that a standard waterbutt can collect over 5000 litres of water a year? Rain is free so why not collect as much as you can? You can attach a waterbutt
to your house, shed, greenhouse or conservatory. Buy the biggest one you can afford that will fit into the space you have. You can join more than one waterbutt together too by buying a joining kit.
Fit a lid to prevent leaves or animals falling into the water. Rain water is great for your plants, they will love you for it, as it contains no synthetic chemicals. And remember some plants are fussy and only like to be watered with rain water.
Water early morning or late evening
The best time to water during the summer is early in the morning. Water will evaporate more slowly at this time of day due to the cooler morning temperatures. Morning watering also gives more time for the plants to take up water. During the hottest part of day there is also the risk of leaf scorch when water gets on the leaves and is then burnt by the heat of the sun.
If you can’t water first thing in the morning during the summer months wait until after 8pm in the evening (then you can relax and go and have a glass of your favourite drink!).
However if you are unable to water at these times and your plants are very dry, water anyhow, putting a plant under stress because you are waiting until later to water is never a good policy as the plant will never perform to its best.
Use a watering can instead of sprinklers or hose pipes
Hoses and sprinklers are water hungry ways to water your garden. Hoses can use up to 10 litres of water per minute and sprinklers a whopping 15 litres per minute so where you are able to use a watering can
instead. A sprinkler can use the same amount of water in a hour than an average person uses in a week so think carefully before you use one. If you are using a hose make sure it is fitted with an adjustable nozzle so that you can direct the water to where it is needed and you can turn off the flow when not required.
Invest in a moisture sensor
This little known and cheap gadget will save you from watering unnecessarily. Too much water can be harmful for your plants and hurts your wallet. You can take the guesswork out of when to water your garden, flowers and plants both indoor and outdoor. The moisture sensor
is inserted into the soil or compost in your pots and it indicates if the soil is dry, moist or wet. You can then decide whether to water or not.
Grow drought tolerant plants
Some plants are adapted to need less water than others so are a great choice if you want to use less water in your garden plus they are usually very easy to grow. Summers also seem to be getting warmer and we want to be able to enjoy our gardens without having to take up our precious time watering. Drought tolerant plants are the ideal solution.
A few examples to try:
Agave
Echeveria
Erigeron
Euphorbia
Lavender
Nepeta
Rosemary
Perovskia
Sedum
Sempervivum
Verbena bonariensis
If you want to learn which plants generally will cope with less water and don’t want to learn a load of Latin names (if school was a long time ago and a distant memory) there is a way. Look out for plants with any of the following characteristics - hairy or furry leaves, silver coloured leaves, spiky plants and those that look fleshy and are holding water. These are all mechanisms that plants have devised so they need less water. Also, if you can remember your holidays to far flung hot and dry destinations and see the same plant in your local garden centre that is a good clue.
Mulch the soil and the top of your pots
Mulching is where you cover the soil with a material to prevent water evaporation from the soil. In the garden the most popular mulch is a decorative bark. Not only will this suppress weeds, it will also look great and stop water evaporating so fast. You can also mulch the tops of your plants and containers and with this there is much more choice - decorative stones and grit, small pieces of slate, shells or even coloured glass toppers.
Use waste water
Some of you may remember the bath with a friend campaign when we had a severe drought. Quite possibly a fun way to save water but can you save water in other ways and use that waste water on your garden? The answer is YES. Household soap and detergents are harmless to plants so you can use your waste water from baths and showers, washing up and washing machines. However don't use water that has had bleach, strong chemicals, dishwasher salt or disinfectant in at as this will harm the plants, soil and any animals living in it.
