Save water in the garden
Five easy habits to start today:
- Twilight zone: Water your garden early in the morning or in the evening when the weather is cooler.
Why it works: Watering in the midday sun means that a lot of the water will evaporate. - Can it: Use a watering can or hose with a trigger nozzle.
Why it works: You have greater control over how much water you use - Keep it longer: Set your mower blades higher than normal when mowing your lawn.
Why it works: Longer blades of grass help to shade the soil and cool the ground, reducing the chances of the freshly cut grass getting scorched from the sun. - Catch the rain: Use a water butt to collect rainwater for your plants and lawn.
Why it works: A standard water butt can store around 200 litres of rainwater, giving you a ready supply for your plants and lawn - Hold onto it: Use water storing granules in your garden and indoor plant pots and tubs.
Why it works: The granules hold water close to the plant roots and reduce evaporation, so you won’t need to water your plants as often.
Watering your plants
- Recycle dish water on your garden. It’s good for guarding against aphids (greenfly, blackfly and plant lice)
- Aim the water at the roots not the leaves otherwise the water runs off and evaporates
- Watering plants less frequently, but deeply and thoroughly, helps to develop healthy, deep root systems, as well as making best use of the water you give them
- Use leftover drinking water on your house plants
Protecting your garden
- Leave the grass box off when mowing in summer – leaving cuttings on the grass will protect your lawn
- Design your garden shady spots to protect your plants and lawn from the sun
- Use wood chips, bark and gravel to help prevent water evaporation
- When choosing plants, consider drought resistant varieties which need less water
- Dig a little ‘moat’ around trees and shrubs to collect water.
