We all love gardening; the feeling of being close to nature and watching things grow is a unique and magical thing. So, the last thing you want is to feel that your green-fingered work is having any kind of negative impact on the environment. However, over-use of water is exactly what it could do; many gardeners don’t consider the amount of this vital, life-giving source they are wasting whilst carrying out their work.

With the implementation of hosepipe bans and water restrictions in recent years, the importance of saving water in the garden is becoming more widely recognised, but there is still more that many of us could do. Take a look at the tips below to find some simple ways to save on water in your garden.

1. Use Natural Resources

Rain is a potential source of water for gardeners which isn’t always utilised. We’d recommend investing in a water butt system which will catch the rainwater off your roof and hold it in a sealed container, so that it can easily be used when needed. This is a great way to eliminate waste, using every drop of water available to you in an economical way.

2. Get Mulching

Mulch not only prevents the growth of weeds, but it helps your soil retain water too. This is simply a layer of material which can be placed on the surface of the soil. It is often made from natural materials such as grass cuttings, straw or bark. Place it over your flower beds and you will find they require watering much less often – the thicker the mulch, the better!

3. Fake It

Whilst we love nature, if you’re looking for a low maintenance way to dramatically cut water usage in the garden, it may be worth considering artificial grass. There are some incredibly attractive, authentic and realistic looking artificial lawns available, they’re quick to install and require very little maintenance to retain that freshly-cut look. If you’re really short on water, you’ll really notice the difference during warmer months when lawns should typically be watered around once a week.

4. Don’t Ditch Dirty Dishwater

Water doesn’t have to only be used once – make the most of water you use for bathing, showering and washing up and save it for your garden. It’s fine for plants – just avoid using it on fruits and vegetables if you have them growing in your garden. Called grey water, this is a great way to make your water go further – research by the Environment Agency shows that people who save their grey water can cut their water meter bills by up to 5%.

5. Just Use Less Water…

Perhaps the most important thing you can do to save water in your garden is simply be frugal and use less! Plants can get spoilt too, and if they are watered with extreme regularity, they will never be encouraged to grow longer roots. Leave longer between watering periods to encourage your plants to develop deeper root systems – a bigger soak less frequently is better than little and often. Aim for about every ten days (though be sure to consider plants with any particularly special watering requirement), and you’ll enjoy using less water in the long run!

This article was written in association with www.namgrass.co.uk, leading providers of artificial grass.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply