11 Tips to Save Water in the Garden

 

1. Water your garden in the cool of the early morning or evening. This will reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation.

2. Use a water butt to collect rain water which can be used to water the garden (with a watering can) and wash the car. (Using a hosepipe uses up to 15 litres per minute.)

3. If you prefer to use a hosepipe, fit a trigger nozzle to control the flow.

4. Water plants thoroughly and infrequently - little and often encourages roots to stay near the surface.

5. Plant ground cover plants which prevent evaporation from the soil.

6. If you water plants and shrubs too often their roots will remain shallow, weakening the plant. Leave them alone until they show signs of wilting.

7. Regularly weed and hoe your garden, to ensure that watering helps plants and not weeds.

8. Plant flowers and shrubs that thrive in hot and dry conditions such as thyme, evening primrose, rock rose, Californian poppy, pinks, lavender, buddleia and hebes.

9. Mulches such as wood chips, bark and gravel help to prevent water evaporation and also suppress weed growth, saving you both water and time spent weeding.

10. Lawns can survive long periods of dry weather if the grass is not cut too short. Even if the grass turns brown, it will quickly recover after a few days of rain.

11. Garden sprinklers can use as much water in an hour as a family of four uses in a day. If you use a sprinkler, many water companies require you to have a water meter fitted.