Whatever the weather, don’t waste this precious commodity
Here’s a question – although gardening is one of the best ways to connect with the natural world and improve our mental and physical wellbeing, why are gardeners never completely happy with their lot?
We can be the stewards of our own glorious, productive patches, be they garden, allotment, patio or balcony, yet always find an imaginary cloud somewhere to grumble about.
My current bugbear is water. Having spent the winter wondering ‘will it ever stop raining?’ as the water meadows and winterbourne streams surrounding the town filled to the brim, I’m now starting to worry about having sufficient water to keep the garden flourishing through summer.
We have several water butts including two attached to the shed and two connected ones harvesting rain from the garage roof, but it’s amazing how quickly these can run dry in summer, especially if we need to top-up the pond.
Easy watering hacks
I’m writing this at the end of a very dry April and haven’t a clue what weather the next few weeks will bring, though having said that our current weather pattern seems to be glorious springs, rubbish summers and prolonged golden autumns, so who knows.
But whatever the summer delivers this year, it’s worth preparing for dry spells so you aren’t caught short if it turns dry.
There are several easy hacks we use to save household water for the garden, the first being collecting grey water from washing up less dirty crocks after a meal.
We also collect water from the hot tap as it’s heating up and recently invested in a dehumidifier, the instructions of which state we can use the water in the garden but not on edible plants.
There’s also nothing wrong with having a bucket in the shower to catch run-off, just be careful when carrying it down the stairs and outside!
Be water-wise
The last piece of advice is to be water-wise, with when you water and how you water.
Cooler mornings and evenings are prime watering times as it will be slower to evaporate and when you water, a good drenching every few days is much better for the plants than a feeble dribble every day.
Soaking the soil encourages the roots to sink lower to collect the water, creating more resilient plants, whereas those with roots near the surface are more at risk from disturbance and instability.
Don’t spray willy-nilly – focus on the soil around the base of the stem and keep water off the leaves. Your plants will thank you.
Watering solutions
Keeping your plants hydrated
1. I keep our water butts healthy and smell-free using Envii Water Butt Klear tablets. They use organic bacteria to keep the water clear and also help to feed plants.
2. Don’t waste water from the hot tap while it’s heating up – collect it and use it in the garden.
3. Water runs off very dry soil so build a small moat around thirsty plants to hold water while it soaks in.
4. Keep containers fed and watered using a plastic bottle filled with water and feed attached to a ceramic cone.
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