Even Your Garden Contributes In Saving Water

Water is one of the basic commodities of our life. If each one of us contributes and make some effort to curb water wastage and conserving it, we can surely make a difference. I don’t want to get into the many ways to save water that you are already aware of. I would rather give you astonishing tips on how even your garden can play an important role in water conservation that you might have overlooked till now.

The key is to understand the basic relationship between water and soil. The next thing you can do is collect large amounts of rainwater as possible for use in the garden. You need to be sensible about the water that you use. At the same time over watering can lead to washing away of nutrients from the soil causing soil erosion.

Organic Gardening

Organic gardening plays a pivotal role in minimizing the need for additional watering. Add organic matter such as compost, matured manure and leaf mould to absorb water in dry conditions. It improves the soil quality irrespective of its type. If your garden consists of sandy soil or clay based soil that drains freely will dry out first but regular intake of organic matter will bind the sand grains together creating more of a crumb structure enabling soil moisture to hold longer.

Take care of the garden soil

Opt for deep watering. It is the wise thing to soak the root zone rather than the entire yard. Apply water directly to the soil and not plants. You can go for drip-irrigation or hoses. This will deliver water directly to the plant roots reducing evaporation. If you can keep a check on the evaporation, little amount of moisture is lost to the air while the rest remains available to the plants within the soil for a much longer time. Water efficiently based on the plants and its requirement, like young seedlings and fleshy leaved plants need moist soil consistently to survive while other plants can suffice with dried soil too. So, you can water thoroughly once in a week or two. Avoid digging the ground during drought, as it increases water loss from the soil.

Planting and Sowing

As soon as you start planning for landscaping, choose native plants. It requires little or no water that is beyond what nature provides. You can plant ground covers and shade trees for keeping your yard cool. Why not follow the xeriscaping principles? It is a water-saving garden design method that many gardener’s arid climates uses. Mulch your garden regularly in order to keep the soil moisture intact. Mulching the soil surface will help in reducing moisture loss and also suppress weeds. Remove weeds and hoe on regular basis. Weeds try to absorb the water meant for your plants.

Water Storage

You can connect a rain barrel to gutter on your home creating a ready water source for your plants. Set up many water butts to collect the rainwater. Collect rainwater and save it using treated tap water. You can use the conserved rainwater for smart harvesting. Did you ever consider recycling household water from drinking glasses and steaming or cooking to water plants?

These tips will surely prove useful and contribute your bit towards saving water and conserving it to utilize it resourcefully.

The author, Rachel Mills, is a successful writer and a passionate blogger. She enjoys gardening and reading in her spare time. She feels that hedging plants adds a unique kind of beauty to your garden.