Gardening and saving water

The Royal Horticultural Society provide a leaflet detailing the measures that can be used to save water in the garden. The text can be accessed by clicking here to access their web site.

It also provides useful information on the amount of water used within a garden and how both plants and the soil take up, retain and lose water.

The following excerpts are intended to provide a useful guide to saving water.

Economical watering: The aim of garden watering should be to apply water only at the stem bases beneath the foliage canopy, leaving the surrounding soil dry. This limits weed problems and ensures that water goes where it does most good.

Household Water : A useful additional source of supply is domestic wastewater. Water containing household soaps and detergents are harmless to established plants but water containing bleach, disinfectants and stronger cleaning products must not be used. It is unhygienic to use bath and shower water on edible plants. Sewage should never be used in the garden. Prudent gardeners will alternate wastewater with mains or rainwater to prevent unwanted materials in wastewater from accumulating, especially in pots and other containers.

Water conservation : Hoeing to make a finely divided surface layer or ‘dust mulch’ is ineffective at reducing moisture loss and may actually increase loss of moisture. However, hoeing to remove weeds, or better from a moisture conserving point of view, use of a weedkiller, is vital as weeds are very effective at depleting soil moisture. Similarly, cultivation of the soil in spring and summer will lead to rapid soil moisture loss.

Light watering over a wide area is ineffective. Frequent light watering may encourage surface rooting, leaving plants more susceptible to drought.

Lawns : In dry periods mowing should be less close and less frequent. This will keep the lawn greener for longer. Lawns usually recover when the autumn rains return.

Ornamental plants : Most ornamental trees and shrubs have such extensive root systems that they are drought-proof and need no The Dry Garden. Image: Tim Sandallirrigation. Herbaceous perennials often need irrigation for their best performance in summer dry spells, but drought-proof borders can be attained by selection of suitable plants and management techniques. The Dry Garden at RHS Garden Hyde Hall and the Piet Oudolf Borders at RHS Garden Wisley are examples of this.

 

Water Butts: Don't treat your water butt as an emergency water supply, aim to use it as much as possible so that whenever it rains it collects fresh rain water. There are often rainshowers throughout the year and it is surprising how quickly your water butt will be refilled.

If the water in your water butt is left to stand for any length of time, a small dose of milton disinfectant should keep it fresh.

If you find that it is becoming a home for mosquitos - you should make sure the lid is well fitting - a few drops of cooking oil which will spread over the surface should keep them at bay.

See the Environment Agency website: In the UK it is possible to have a beautiful and productive garden without using any mains water.

 

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