Tips to Create a Water-Wise Garden
Did you know that your garden uses 30% of the water in your home? For one single area that is a lot of water! However, there is a simple solution to this: create a water-wise garden!
A water-wise garden is specifically designed to save you water. Water saving is great for the environment and on your water bill. This gardening technique can still produce a beautiful lush garden.
Benefits of a Water Wise Garden
As mentioned before one of the main benefits of a water-saving garden is the environmental benefits. Sustainability in any way is extremely important! It can help conserve water by reducing extra irrigation and helps reduce runoff. Runoff water can cause soil erosion.
Water wise gardens tend to be a little more low-key. So even if you aren’t too interested in a water-wise garden, but a low-maintenance one this style is perfect! When you choose plants that are local to the area then it requires less maintenance.
The biggest benefit is cost savings! A reduction in water usage means a reduction in your bill. While there is an upfront cost in some of these changes, you don’t need to make them all at once! Do it slowly over time.
Mulch
Mulch is an easy way to make your garden a little more water-wise! When you cover your garden bed with mulch, it helps the soil retain more water. It also helps the soil retain water as it prevents the sun from evaporating it away. We highly recommend you use a natural source for this, not any synthetic material. This can be straw, wood mulch, chopped leaves, or manure. Opinions vary on how much you should put down, some say two to three inches and some say six to eight. This may depend on your climate.
Get Back to Your Roots
Watering directly at the root of your plants will save a lot of water! You can waste a lot of it if you aren’t focusing on each plant’s root. There is an easy way to do this, a drip irrigation system. It can get the water right at the root, and not water in areas where there are no plants.
Be Free
Rainwater is a great way to water your plants for free! This is a great way to create a water-wise garden. You can use cisterns to help collect the water, or even create a specific rainwater garden. Rainwater gardens’ plants are planted in depressions in the ground. This helps water to funnel directly to them. These work wonderfully in rainy climes and with plants that love water!
Plan Before You Plant
Whether you get advice from a landscaper or do research on your own. It is important to create a plan before you plant your water-wise garden. The first step is to research plants that are native to your area. A native plant will not have to adjust to your local weather or soil conditions, as it already thrives there.
\Next, when coming up with your plan, keep plants that have a similar water schedule and the amount of water needed. This will help make sure you only water the plants that need it, which helps the plant health and you’ll use less water!
You may also want to consider a less is more approach. The less amount of plants you have, will mean less water needed. Consider other features, bigger or bolder plants to fill in space.
Monitor Your Plant’s Health
Even in a non-water-wise garden, you will want to do this! However, in this style of garden, it is important to know if your soil is dry or still moist. If it is still wet then you can hold off on watering over the next couple of days.
You also want to trim any dead parts or remove any dead plants. This can help reduce the need for water. It is also important to notice any yellowing parts, that could mean you are over or under watering your plants.
Final Thoughts
Creating a water-wise garden might seem like you will not have a lush garden. However, that is not the case! This style can be lush and beautiful with local native plants and more garden planning. It is a great way to save some money and the environment.
We hope this helps you to choose more environmentally friendly options for your home and garden!
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