Water Conservation
ask an expert: gardeningcanada
(Jun.01.10)
With taxes going up, I'm looking to cut costs wherever I can. Is there any way to lower the amount of water I use in my garden without damaging it?
Eileen D. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca, and SweetHome gardening expert Mark Cullen answered:
Reducing your consumption of water is not only the environmentally responsible thing to do, it also saves you time, allowing you to enjoy your garden without worrying about its needs.
There are a number of steps you can take to conserve water and reduce your dependency on your garden hose this summer:
Divert downspouts into rain barrels. Water collected in is a free source of oxygen-rich warm water for gardens and containers. All plants love it and respond better to rain water than cold water from the end of a hose.
Discover the miracle of mulch. I recommend covering perennial and shrub beds with a 5-centimetre (2-inch) layer of finely shredded pine or cedar bark mulch. A generous layer of mulch insulates the soil from the drying effects of sun and wind. You can reduce your watering by up to 70 per cent as a result, and your weeding by up to 90 per cent the first year.
Water Wisely. Water early in the morning, when less moisture will be lost to evaporation. My rule of thumb for watering both gardens and lawns is to water deeply, usually no more than once a week. Infrequent but generous watering forces plant roots to grow deeper in search of moisture (without starving them for water). Deep roots mean that plants can better withstand short periods of drought.
Take advantage of new products, like Water Wicks, to conserve moisture. Place a Water Wick at the root zone of each new plant. These "tea bags" absorb up to 400 times their weight in water. Moisture is released to the plant as needed, reducing necessary watering by up to 50 per cent.
Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author and broadcaster. Sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.markcullen.com, watch him on CTV Canada AM every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m., and read his weekly column in the New Homes & Condos section of the Saturday Toronto Star. Mark’s latest book is The Canadian Garden Primer, An Organic Approach, available at Home Hardware and major bookstores.
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