Saving water in the garden

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“Saving water in the garden”, By Green Living Tips www.greenlivingtips.com


It's wonderful to have a garden and add a splash of green in an urban environment; but our gardens tend to consume massive amounts of water; something that's becoming an increasingly scarce resource in many parts of the world. Irrigation accounts for the bulk of water use in homes, particularly in drier areas over the summer months. A few of the biggest mistakes made are:

a) Plant selection; usually by using plants that aren't native to the area

b) Sprinklers that throw water up into the air, which is then windblown or evaporates

c) Watering during the hottest part of the day

d) Over-watering

Here's some tips for reducing your garden watering footprint - and to save some money on water rates at the same time:

Plant selection: When you're next shopping for plants for your garden, consider not only your area's current rainfall, but what's projected for the future. In many regions of the world, rainfall is dropping; so a plant that might get by fine now without additional watering may not do so in the future.

Sprinklers: Many sprinklers throw out fine droplets and on a hot day, these droplets simply evaporate. While your garden gets some water, much is lost. Look to buy a sprinkler that throws water closer to the ground in large drops.

Drip irrigation: This can save you a ton of water. Drip irrigation (aka, trickle irrigation or micro-irrigation) consists of a series of pipes with drippers hanging off them that deliver water directly to where it's needed. Given the targeted nature of the delivery, far less water has to be used. Using a special piercing device on the main pipe, you can attach drippers exactly where you need them and you can plug the hole at a later date if need be. The equipment is simple, easily scalable, pretty cheap and durable and can be purchased at most hardware stores and nurseries.

Tip: when using drip irrigation, you'll need to check the drippers regularly as they can get clogged with water-borne particles, particularly when used with a greywater or blackwater recycling system. Birds also have a tendency to move the dripper hoses as they forage.
Watering time: The best time of the day to water is either just on sunrise or just on sunset, as this minimizes water evaporation.

Make use of old soda bottles: Richelle D. contributed this tip: "I have several 3 liter bottles, filled with water and pushed upside down into the ground to water my outdoor trees. The soil draws the water from the 2 liter bottle or even gallon jugs when dry."

Mulch, mulch, mulch: Mulching is adding layers of plant material such as straw or bark to keep the sun off the soil and therefore retain water. Mulching is one of the most effective ways to reduce water needed in a garden - up to 50%. Mulch has the added benefit of preventing weed growth, deters pests, helps to stabilize soil temperature and provide nutrients to the soil as the mulch