Get water wise
Last year saw one of the hottest summers on record. This year, with some changes you can keep your garden looking lush without wasting water
Without a regular soaking of water from downpours gardens can begin to look thirsty and stressed. This is particularly noticeable if you have sandy or stony soil, where even a deluge of rain soaks straight into the earth without leaving standing puddles.
While it makes sense to give the ground a good soaking, to get moisture deep into it, give it a ‘rest’ before attempting any planting, it’s important to use precious water wisely and to make every single drop count.
1 Install a water butt Rainwater doesn’t always get to the places you need it, but a water butt – most connect to a drainpipe – will capture rainwater efficiently. Some plants even prefer rainwater to tap water! You can get water butts in a variety of sizes which will hold a large amount of water.
2 Size matters
The key to survival when planting at this time of year is to buy small plants, as these will establish quickly. Soak them in their pots before planting and water them in, but only the once.
3 Timing is key It’s best to water in the cool of the evening or first thing in the morning if possible. Watering in the heat of the day is wasteful due to evaporation and it’s also
4 Waterretaining crystals harmful to plants because the drops of water act like magnifying glasses and scorch the leaves.
Mix these into potting compost and soil backfill when planting shrubs and perennials, as these will absorb and store up to 400 times their own weight in water, ready to release it when plants need it. 5 Limit your use of the hosepipe During a drought using sprinklers and hoses is frowned upon, if not banned. Opt for seep hoses, which can be rigged up to water butts that have been installed to collect both rainfall and grey water recycled from baths, sinks and washing machines. 6 Not for everyone Don’t waste water on sickly plant specimens – save water for survivors and you don’t need to worry about established trees and mature shrubs they’re virtually drought-proof! 7 Lawn lengths Lawns are super thirsty, so to give your grass the best chance of survival, when you mow by setting the blades high. Longer grass traps dew and provides useful moisture for the roots.
8 Keep the moisture in You can use bark, although light-coloured gravel will absorb less heat than dark mulches, or beat the budget by recycling your lawn clippings. Make sure the grass is dry before you apply it and that the lawn has not been sprayed with weedkiller or other chemicals. 9 Fresh grass
Leave the clippings on the lawn to provide shade, keep the roots cool and slow down evaporation. You will need to give the lawn a good raking in autumn to get rid of the build-up (‘thatch’).
10 Mulch much Putting down a 3-10cm-deep layer of mulch on borders and between crops on the veg plot, helps the soil retain moisture, keeping roots moist and limiting evaporation.