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"With drought summers increasingly predicted due to
global warming, accompanied by hose pipe bans in many areas, it
certainly makes sense to wise up to potential water shortages in
your garden."
Collecting rain water makes good sense, and I have the guttering
diverted to collect it into an elegant Oak
Barrel, that's both functional and stylish.
Rainwater is infinitely better for plants than tap water which
often has fluorides and chlorine additives which are no good for
plants.
Plants are best watered at their roots as so much is wasted by
evaporation when sprinklers and hoses are used.
Vegetables, annuals, roof gardens and newly planted areas
benefit greatly from an effective irrigation system to help plants
keep healthy and thriving, and a soaker
hose kit is an ideal way to achieve this.
Water that seeps rather being squirted will slowly soak into the
soil, which will stop it from running off the soil or compacting
it, and can be attached to a timer to water at the optimum time
early in the morning or late into the afternoon.
I grow my tomatoes in grow-bags, and wouldn’t be without my
Growpot Ring Culture System.
 Like so many useful things, the
genius is in the simplicity. Attach by rotating the serrated edge
into the grow-bag and not only does the outer ring quickly fill
with water slowly seeping into the grow bag directly to the roots,
but the extra soil depth gives the tomatoes a more spacious root
run which helps them hold up better in dry weather.
Here’s a tip though, don’t over water as this not only
wastes precious water but prevents the roots from getting air. If
your tomatoes are wilting on a sunny afternoon, that is perfectly
normal as they’ll perk up over-night, but if they’re
wilted in the morning
GET WATERING!
Also the Growbag
Watering Pots are a quick and efficient way of getting just the
right amount of water into your growbag.
The little reservoirs sit below the polythene on the surface of the
compost and evenly distribute water throughout the compost.
Containers are always prone to drying out, especially if
you’re going away for a short spell.
The
Aquasolo Ceramic Watering Cone is an excellent way to keep your
container from drying out as the ceramic cone gently lets water
seep out at a 50cl per day flow rate. The cone is simply screwed
into a (0.5-5L) water bottle, brilliantly simple, and particularly
helpful in keeping vegetable plants from drying out. Remember also
to use a mulch of at least 2cm on the surface of the soil to help
retain moisture in containers, gravel, bark or even your old wine
corks (a favourite in our house!) will help retain moisture in the
soil whilst also inhibiting weeds. Of course one of the most
effective ways of reducing your water needs in the garden is to
choose drought resistant plants such as rosemary, lavender,
geranium and the beautiful ornamental grass Stipa Gigantea. Also,
don't forget to dig in some good home compost and organic matter
into your soil in the spring which will help hold moisture in the
soil throughout the summer.
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