There is much talk among gardeners and news pundits at the moment about if there will be a drought this summer. The South East has historically been more vulnerable due to lower rainfall levels and higher population densities, but with the driest March in 69 years and April receiving barely half of its usual rainfall, it seems likely that water companies will have to implement restrictions this summer although they all say they have no plans to do so at present.
Turning on your hosepipe to water your garden can use over a thousand litres of water and costs over £1.50 per hour. This is equivalent to what a family of four uses in two days. Using less water will take the pressure off our vital water supplies and save you money, but how can you keep your garden green and beautiful in dry weather without increasing your water consumption? Here are some easy tips for saving water for the garden.
Collect rainwater: Rainwater is free and plants prefer it to tap water. Use water butts to collect rainwater from any suitable roof by installing guttering and water butts – sheds, greenhouses or house roofs are all suitable. Installing them now means any rain that does fall in the next few months can be collected for use.
Collect grey water: Every time you turn the tap on inside the house, consider if you can reuse the water. When washing up, washing your hands or rinsing vegetables before cooking, keep that water for watering your garden and pots. Putting a bucket under the tap or shower while you are waiting for the water to warm up will capture many litres. Use lightly soapy water on your ornamental plants but not edible crops. You can even keep cooking water drained off from pasta, rice or vegetables – just let it cool down before pouring it onto the soil. Don’t use water containing cleaning substances such as bleach-based chemicals.
Choose the best time of day to water: Water early in the morning or in the evening. This gives time for the water to sink down into the soil before evaporating in the heat of the day. When planting up summer containers such as hanging baskets, mix in Aqua Gel crystals to help the soil retain moisture:
Mulch: Cover your borders and pots with organic matter, gravel or weed membrane. These will all help to reduce moisture loss and suppress weeds. If your soil is already dry, water it well before mulching. Check the moisture levels under the mulch before you water again. In the longer term, adding organic matter to your soil every year increases its water holding capacity, but avoid digging or disturbing your soil in dry weather as this increases evaporation.
Leave the lawn: Don’t water your lawn unless it is newly sown or laid and do not stress your lawn by closely mowing. Raise the mower or leave it out entirely. When the rains return your lawn will green up again.
Group containers together and move them to a shadier spot. This helps to reduce the speed at which water evaporates from the pots so they don’t dry out so quickly. This is a great tip for while you are away on holiday. You could also try using capillary matting which you can buy by the metre in store, or watering cones which screw onto a plastic bottle and allow water to seep through slowly.
Keep water in reserve: Some plastic pots are self-watering. These have a small reservoir in the base to store water that the roots can draw on, so need watering less frequently.
For easy watering of tomatoes or other vegetables in growbags for up to 14 days at a time consider the Hozelock Grow Bag Waterer.
Check if it needs watering: Peat free composts often look dry on the surface whilst being damp underneath. Push your finger down into the compost or soil to at least knuckle depth to see if it is damp. Alternatively you can use a moisture meter to keep a check on your pots and see if they need watering.
Use a watering can: It can be cumbersome, but it does make you aware of how much water you use.
Take your time: Pour water into pots and containers slowly giving it time to soak in. Place saucers or buckets under pots and hanging baskets to catch any water that does come out of the bottom of the pot and allow the plant to draw on it or pour it back into the watering can.
Water the roots: Direct water at the soil around the stems above where the roots are, not the foliage. If you are growing spreading plants like pumpkins. Mark the planting hole/roots with a tall stick that will be visible above the foliage. If you water the stick you know you are also watering the roots.
Go hands free: Consider purchasing a drip or trickle irrigation watering system. They are very useful for watering pots while you are on holiday, take the effort out of remembering to water and the burden of carrying watering cans. A dripper irrigation system uses up to 90% less water than watering the garden with a hosepipe and some work from water butts too.
Installing a soaker hose below the surface of a bed can save up to 70% of water by directing water only to where it is needed and by minimising evaporation.
Prioritise: Plants in pots need to be watered more than plants in the ground. Newly planted perennials, shrubs and trees need regular watering through their first season.
Soak well: For plants in the ground, a bucketful of water once a week will penetrate deeper into the soil and draw the roots of the plants down with it making the plants more drought resistant. Merely damping the surface every day means the soil will dry out quicker and roots will stay at the surface making them more vulnerable to drought stress. If soaking your whole garden once a week with buckets of water is too difficult, do a different section every day on a rota to make it more manageable.
Take action now to make your garden more resilient. By adopting even a few of these simple water-saving habits, you’ll not only reduce your household’s water use but also help protect this precious resource during dry weather. With a little preparation and thoughtful care, your garden can continue to thrive through the dry spells ahead.
By our resident horticultural expert
