Smart use of water in the garden saves untold time and effort

OK, I admit it, I'm a bit of a data geek. As so much gardening advice is not based on systematically tested ideas, but on received wisdom, I find that doing a little measuring and recording can often reveal surprising results. One of the easiest methods I've found is to time how much time I spent doing different indoor and outdoor gardening tasks and note how they stack up. While I was pretty sure watering was going to be the best time investment during the growing season, even I was amazed that 70% of my time in the garden was spent exclusively holding a hose. If you're like me, finding water-saving ways to irrigate will not only save you a ton of time, but it'll also cut your bills and help the planet, too.

The Probably the easiest and most sustainable way to reduce water consumption is to abandon growing in containers in favor of soil. The enormous surface area to relative volume ratio of pots not only means that they will dry out much faster than open soils, but they will also be subject to greater temperature fluctuations, which can further aggravate water loss. . This is especially the case in containers with porous surfaces, such as fiber-lined hanging baskets or unglazed terracotta, and the smaller the pot, the thirstier your plants will be.

A The second way to help retain vital moisture around the root zone of your plants is to add an insulating layer of mulch. Open a big bag of bark chips, leaf mold, or other organic material, spread it thickly on the ground between the plants, and it will work not only to seal in water, but also to cool their roots. As it breaks down, it will add nutrients, food for soil microbes, and spongy, water-retaining fibers, all of which conspire to create the ideal conditions for plant growth.

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At the end of the day, one of the best ways to reduce your need for irrigation is not to retain moisture, but to know when and how to water in the first place. First, ditch all that little-and-often approach you often hear about. Light topical applications will only moisten the surface which, in hot weather, may evaporate before it even reaches the plant roots. However, giving everything a really good soak half as often allows the water to seep much deeper, where not only does it get where it needs it, but it also creates a reservoir for plants to draw from. Studies have shown that this technique also encourages plants to root deeper, which also makes them more resistant to periods of drought.

Finally, although the old idea that watering in the heat of the day can scorch plant leaves - because the water droplets act like lentils - is of limited merit, it's still not a good idea to water at the height of the day. Much of the water will be lost to the air, whereas if you water in the cool of the evening it has more time to sink in.

Des Simple tweaks to what you are, what you already do will save you time, money, effort and, of course, the age-old battle to untie the pipe.

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