Wondering how you could reduce water use while tending to your garden? Saving water use in the garden can have two important results:
• Save your water bill
• Save the environment
Reducing water use can have another effect – it can help to keep the water prices at where they stand now.
The Top Tips to Reduce Water Use While Tending to Your Garden
1. Take a look at the soil in your garden:
You can improve the soils retention power of water by enhancing the organic content. By mulching flower beds and the shrub base, you can prevent moisture loss during dry seasons. While composting, use water retentive granules.
2. Do not over-water:
Over-watering is a tendency we should avoid. We often do it because we cannot make sure if the garden has received enough water. But it is wise to check the soil before taking a call of watering it again.
If the soil is damp about a spade deep, then there is no need to water it again.
However, if the soil is clayey, then even if the soil is damp, the plants might need water. So in this case, you will have to observe the signs of water stress in your plants. It is advisable to water in the evening when the evaporation rate is reduced.
3. Know the amount of water your soil needs:
Different types of soil have different water requirements. Light sandy soils would consume a lot of more water than heavier soils.
Clayey soils will need a large volume of water in one go but would have to be watered less frequently. 24 litres per sq metre every 7-10 days is the standard given by the Royal Horticultural Society to sustain the growth of plants.
4. Dress up your garden with plants that need less water:
You can find out the list of plants that consume less water here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=397.
Lavender, agave, wallflower, and lithops, for instance, need very little water to grow.
5. Using the right technique for watering:
Out of several methods of watering, here are some of them:
• Sprinklers: While it allows great coverage area, it is not a precise tool to use when we water specific parts of the garden.
• Hoses and watering cans: The downside is it is labour intensive. It can reach every nook and corner of your garden. Watering like this greatly cuts down on weed growth.
• Seep hose: Best suited for heavy soils. In lighter soils, coverage would not be enough.
• Drip irrigation method: Very expensive, yet this is the best money saver in the long run. Meets all the gardening needs efficiently and in an optimized manner.
6. Reusing water:
Either you can collect rainwater and direct it to a water butt or you can also divert the wasted water from showers, washing machines and bath tubs.
7. Using landscape design softwares:
Landscaping software would allow taking the pre-requisite steps to maintain your dream garden. A good landscaping design software allows you to create a landscape and then witness the garden coming to life.
There are various available software options. But a wise choice would be to select a program that has an in-built tool to navigate and survey your property and also comes in with a tutorial on the same.
There are other features like cost estimation, growth features, plant encyclopedias that you might want to include before choosing a software. The growth feature would allow you to see how the plants actually blossom in maturity.
It also will have a shadow caster option to see how the shadow play of the building and the plants will happen throughout the year, helping create an optimally spacious garden which consumes less water. For more information on saving water in your garden please check out – tips-on-how-to-save-water-in-the-vegetable-garden/
Do you have any water savings tips that have worked for you?
Please share them in the comment section!
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Thanks for the tip!
I took over the garden this year and initially was overwatering but will try the spade trick because I’m terrible & never check the soil. I have switched to a watering can to water just the plants and it’s better exercise for me too!
Hi,
Gardening is a learning process. Switching to a water can is probably a good idea. Good luck with your garden and I hope you a bountiful harvest. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.