LIVING Drought-proofing your own garden
Water is often something we take for granted until water restrictions bite. The best time to prepare your garden for summer dry is now while it is green and moist.
Mulch is the most valuable thing we can do to protect plants from drying out. Mulch works by shading the soil to reduce evaporation, Keeps the soil cool, and helps build organic matter (humus) which acts like a sponge to hold moisture in the soil.
Soaking cardboard or newspaper in water and laying this under your other mulch increases the effectiveness. The following materials make effective mulches: lawn clippings, compost, straw, old baleage, pea hay, leaves, wood chip, even old hay. The weeds won’t kill your plants but drying out will.
When and how you water is also important. A good deep soak rather than frequent light sprinkles will encourage the roots to grow downwards to find moisture. Shallow roots dry out much more quickly. Watering early in the morning or evening gives plants a chance to take up moisture before the sun evaporates it off. Watering at the base instead of overhead puts water exactly where plants need it (the roots) and reduces waste.
A tip for young trees is to place a standard bucket with a nail hole at the base next to the tree. Fill this with water weekly or fortnightly (as restrictions allow) the water will drip away slowly directly to root zone.
Think about storage. Have you got access to drums, small tanks, which you could use to collect rainwater for the garden? Greywater from your laundry, bath and shower can also be safely used for trees, if you are careful about the soaps and cleaners you use (check out our website for some safe and cheap cleaner recipes).
Shade and shelter make a huge difference to the rate of water evaporation so consider these carefully when planning your garden. Westerly and northwesterly winds are the most damaging in CHB. In the vegetable garden taller plants such as corn and beans can be used to shelter more vulnerable plants such as lettuce, and brassicas.
Finally, lawns shouldn’t be a priority when it turns dry. Be considerate of all water users, but your lawn will last longer if you mow less and let it grow — longer grass will grow longer roots. Short grass also exposes soil to weeds and evaporation.
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