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LIVING GREEN – One Tip at a Time { #47 Saving water in the garden}

May 19, 2012 by · 8 Comments

It’s wonderful to have a garden and add a splash of green in an urban environment; but our gardens tend to consume massive amounts of water; something that’s becoming an increasingly scarce resource in many parts of the world.

Here are some tips for reducing your garden watering footprint –

Plant selection – purchase plants that are native to or known to thrive in your region without a lot of additional watering.

Sprinklers – many sprinklers throw out a fine, high, spray of water which is often gone via wind and evaporation before it even reach the garden. Look to buy a sprinkler that throws water closer to the ground in large drops.

Drip irrigation – This can save you a ton of water. (See tip #46, Repurposing your old garden hose} 

Irrigation timers – If you use an irrigation timer, set it to run half the normal time, but run it a second cycle a minimum of half an hour later. This will dramatically reduce run off.

Watering time – The best time of the day to water is either just around sunrise or just around sunset, as this minimizes water evaporation.

Mulch – Mulching is one of the most effective ways to reduce water needed in a garden – up to 50%.

Aerate your lawn and garden –  An aerator pulls out small plugs of soil allowing air and water to penetrate deeper. Deeper moisture means deeper root systems; which makes plants more resistant to dry spells and requiring less water.

Consider a rainwater tank – Given the amount of water gardens require; consider adding a rainwater catchment system to your property.  There’are all sorts of rain water tanks and barrels available to suit your premises, ranging from holding a few dozen gallons, to thousands.

Do you have any water saving gardening tips?

Much of the information contained in this post was obtained from Green Living Tips, check out their website for many more green tips.

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Comments

  1. Patricia Bacon says:
    May 19, 2012 at 9:37 AM

    Great info. All this time that I have used mulch, I never thought of it as saving water. I thought it was to prevent weed growth and for esthetic purposes!! Also, the rain barrel is great. My husband actually asked about that and is considering getting one!!!

    Reply
  2. Kathy says:
    May 19, 2012 at 12:57 PM

    Great water saving tips! I’d love to get a rain barrel as well.
    My tip: Cool the water from boiling eggs to use on your houseplants. They get nutrition from the egg shells, too. Cool the water from boiling potatoes and vegetables and add it to dry dog food for added nutrition for your pet.

    Reply
  3. Andrea Amy says:
    May 23, 2012 at 2:46 AM

    This is some awesome info! i took notes, thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
  4. jenn says:
    May 24, 2012 at 8:47 PM

    I am just getting my garden all laid out to put in this weekend so I am glad I came across this post

    Reply

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