Ways to Save Water for Your Garden

Nearly every living thing needs water to survive, and your garden is no exception. Gardening is worth it in so many ways, whether it’s for a hobby, to grow your own organic food, or to use it to start a business, but one thing you’ll always need for your garden is water, and some plants need more water than others. 

However, water is a precious commodity, and in some areas that have struggled with a drought, residents are required to reduce their use and can even be fined for using too much water. Even if you aren’t in a state that has suffered droughts, water should still be conserved as much as possible, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t still have the garden of your dreams, you just need to diversify the ways you save water, and here are a few ways to do that. 

Collect Rainwater

Even if you don’t get much rain per year in your area, a rain barrel can still collect enough water for plants. You can often hook rain barrels up to your gutters easily with kits or if your gutter’s end opening isn’t close to the ground, you can position the barrel underneath the gutter. If you have a drain system like a French drain system that doesn’t allow for a rain barrel connection, you can still collect rain water, by making your own rain barrel using a large food-grade bucket or garbage can and put a mesh cover or screen over the top to keep debris and insects like mosquitoes out. Then, when you do need water for your plants, you can use it to fill your watering cans. 

Save Your Cooking Water! 

When you’re cooking pasta or rice, or even hard-boiling some eggs, you need it takes a whole pot of water. When you’re done cooking, it can seem wasteful to just pour it down the drain – so don’t! Instead, save the water by using a slotted spoon to drain your food, or make sure there is a separate container to catch the water when draining, and use that water on your plants. As an added bonus, the water used from cooking food items can actually help feed your plants for a little boost. 

 Shower Time

If you’re taking a shower, and you turn on the faucet to let the water warm up first, the amount of perfectly good water that goes right down the drain can be significant. You don’t need to suffer through a cold shower until the water warms up, but you can place a bucket underneath the faucet to collect that water as you’re warming the water up. 

You could even place the bucket to collect the water as you shower if you’re rinsing off or aren’t using soap. Even if you are using soap, soapy water can still be helpful in the garden, by putting it in a spray bottle and using it to fight against pests such as aphids – just make sure to try a small amount on your plants first and never apply it when your plants will be in direct sunlight, and if you’re saving soapy shower water, try to use as natural a soap as possible, such as castile soap. 

Houseplant Run-Off 

If you also have houseplants, depending on the plant, it’s common to drench a houseplant and let it drain. If you do this, instead of letting that water drain out into the sink, why not place something underneath the plant to collect the water as it drains out, such as a bucket or a bowl? While the water will look murky from passing through the soil of your houseplants, this water is still good and can be used for landscaping plants. 

Even if you can’t save water for your plants, you can still conserve water! 

If you can’t save enough water from your daily life, there are still a few ways that you can conserve and use water smartly to make sure your plants still get hydrated enough. Here are a few quick tips: 

Watering Times

Water your plants at night before extreme heat occurs, or early enough in the morning on those hot days, so that your plants have a chance to absorb the water before the sun dries it out. 

Mulch 

Mulching around your plants after watering can help cover the soil so that the water doesn’t dry out as quickly. 

Drip Irrigation 

If your garden layout allows for setting up drip irrigation, it can be a great way to make sure that your plants are being watered for just the right amount of time, if it’s set up with an automated timer. 

Ollas

Ollas are an ancient watering technique, which are terracotta vessels that are buried into the soil, that you fill up with water. As the soil dries out, water will seep out of the olla into your soil at root level, getting the water right where it needs to be. Using this method, you fill the olla when it is empty, meaning the chances of overwatering your plants and therefore wasting water are slim. 

Saving and conserving water for your garden might seem like a hassle, but if you love to garden and want to help save the planet, it’s worth it!