How to Reduce Water Consumption in the Garden

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Looking for a good source to learn how to reduce water consumption in the garden? This post has lots of ideas that will teach you how to use less water when growing your own plants at home!

How Can I Use Less Water in the Garden?

It’s becoming increasingly clear that gardeners around the world need to plan for a drier future. Growing populations and shrinking water supplies in regions from western China to the American Colorado River basin are increasing the pressure for gardeners to reduce water use in their landscaping.

Water rationing, once used only in emergencies, is now a part of daily life in many areas of the US, Canada and Australia.

Perennial garden in bloom with water saving mulch. — We’ve got lots of water saving tips for your garden and yard below.

Experts predict that increasing pressure on world water supplies will bring strict limits on water consumption in gardens even in areas that get year-round rainfall.

As a result, common pastimes as simple as gardening might start to suffer. But even in the face of all of this information, there are ways to reduce water consumption and continue the hobby or lifestyle of gardening.

The following tips are some of the many ways to use less water in the garden and still grow all your favorite plants while remaining conscious and careful of water usage.

WATER EFFICIENT VEGETABLE GARDENING

A row of pretty green leafy plants. — Follow these simple tips to reduce water consumption while maintaining a gorgeous and lush garden!

To start, if possible choose plants that are specifically known for requiring less water to grow. According to the Institute of Agriculture at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, some great options include asparagus, Swiss chard, peppers, eggplants, and mustard greens. Tomatoes, squash, and melon also tend to have nice deep root systems that can more easily pull water from the soil around them.
- Some other options, depending on the climate where you live, include cactus, radishes, garlic, and zucchini.
Use mulch in your plant beds! Mulch helps prevent evaporation, which means you’ll need less water to properly nurture your plants. Mulches can also prevent weeds from growing, which would be an additional source that steals the water meant for your garden.
Arrange your plants in a way that positively influences water usage. For instance, planting seeds in a grid pattern as opposed to longer rows means a higher density of plants overall, which means watering in that area will affect more of them.
- For a specific example of a smart planting arrangement, plant corn, squash, and beans together. The corn stalks act as the support for the beans to grow on, the beans will make the soil rich in nitrogen, and the squash helps cover the soil to prevent weeds from growing.
When all else fails, learn which plants are native to your climate and opt to plant those over anything else. Because they’re accustomed to growing wherever you live, they won’t require as much water or attention to thrive.

OUTDOOR WATER SAVING TIPS

Three differently sized plastic barrels for collecting rain water. — If you’re wondering how to use less water in the garden, solutions like these rain water collectors can help make use of the natural moisture that might otherwise go to waste.

These water totes are designed to catch rain water from house downspouts. They come in various sizes and at a variety of price points, and can be used to prevent all of that lush rain water from going to waste.
Inspect any and all facets of your watering system. Be sure there aren’t any leaks or blockages that may be wasting water without your knowledge.
Add a nozzle to your garden hose. By forcefully stopping the water from coming out of the hose when you’re done using it, you’ll save gallons of water you didn’t even know you were wasting! My favorite hose nozzle is this one.
Let your grass grow a little taller by adjusting mower settings. More natural shade from taller grass means less evaporation from the sun.

Water Saving Garden Design

If you’re creating a brand new garden space, now is the perfect opportunity to incorporate water saving into the design. Here are a few different ways you can really reduce the amount of water you need:

Plan Ahead by Xeriscaping Your Garden

An outdoor chair and table in a garden. — Xeriscaping is a fantastic way to reduce water consumption by eliminating unnecessary water use without sacrificing the garden or yard you want.

The idea behind xeriscaping is to use as little water as possible in your garden. The most effective way to reduce your water consumption is to plant drought-tolerant plants that don’t need much watering. You can also cut back on the size of your lawn to save water and put your yard to better use.

If you really want to grow some thirstier plants like a vegetable garden or a few flower beds, go ahead and create a few irrigated areas. Then, restrict your watering to those areas.

Fill in the rest of the landscaping with drought-tolerant plants that can thrive without watering. Look into native plants in your specific areas as they are usually drought tolerant.

Have a Smaller Lawn to Reduce Watering

A small dog sitting in a lush green lawn in a small modern backyard. — If possible, try to reduce the size of your yard and garden. After all, the less plants you have, the less water you’ll use!

A lush green lawn is nice, isn’t it? A nice soft carpet where you can walk barefoot is just lovely. With xeriscaping, you can certainly still have a lawn. And if you have pets, you may well need the lawn! But why not make it a small area?

Incorporate it into your sitting area so you can sit barefoot on the grass and read your book. Or hang a hammock above a nice small patch of lawn.

Use Hard Landscaping Techniques

Use permanent ground cover like small coloured gravel or make a rock river bed. Sculptures or large pots sitting on top of wood boxes look beautiful.

Many of the items used to create winter interest in your yard would fit perfectly in a xeriscaped landscape.

USE A SOAKER HOSE INSTEAD OF OVERHEAD

A soaker hose will allow water to evenly distribute along the entire length and also sink right down into the roots of your plants. This is much more efficient than an overhead irrigation system, which may end up distributing water to areas that don’t need it.

Several rows of tomatoes frowing in a greenhouse with soaker hoses running along each row. — A soaker hose deposits water much closer to the roots of your plants, which means you use less water to get the same moisture deep down into the root systems.

WATER AT THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY

Whenever possible, water your plants in the morning. This will allow the water to properly soak into the soil before the sun gets too intense and evaporates it all.

As an added bonus, any excess moisture on plant leaves will then dissipate after they’ve drank their fill. Allowing for the removal of this excess moisture can help prevent certain diseases in plants caused by bacteria and fungi that are drawn to the moisture.

On the flip side, you could also water your plants later in the evening once the sun has started to go down. This will also prevent over-evaporation and ensure all of that water goes to your lovely plants!

Tips for Successful Mulching

Two hands setting down straw in a garden as mulch. — Aside from mulch, you can also use materials like straw, pine needles, or grass clippings to help lock in moisture and use less water in the garden.

Done properly, mulch is very good for your garden. Done wrong, it can damage your plants. These tips will help you get the most from your mulching:

Make sure soil is moist before you mulch. If your area has dry seasons, try to mulch before the dry season starts and the soil dries out. Avoid using fine-textured shredded wood waste, like sawdust. This can mat together and keep moisture from reaching the soil, especially if you’re using drip irrigation that applies water a little at a time.
Spread mulch to the right depth. Too much mulch can prevent air from reaching the soil and encourage mold growth. Too little reduces its water-saving benefits. Most types of mulch should be spread about three inches deep. If you use mixed green waste, spread it no more than two inches deep.
Keep mulch away from the base of woody plants. The base of trees and shrubs need air.
Avoid mulch that has a sour smell. If it smells bad, it may not have been stored properly.
Leave some areas unmulched so beneficial insects that nest in the soil can reach the ground.

A blooming shade flower bed that has been grown using water saving measures. — Save this pin to your Gardening Pinterest board for later.

Simple measures like these can save significant amounts of water in your garden. And, whether you pay for your actual water usage or you are able to use a well on your property, it is always important to try and conserve as much water as possible.

Hopefully, these water conserving tips will help you to be able to use less water on a regular basis, while still growing vegetables, fruits and berries in your gardens.