A bit of pre-planning this spring could save you hours (and £££, if you’re on a meter) in summer. Your garden, balcony or pot plants will stay gloriously green for longer with these top tips.
The summer months are just around the corner. Maybe you’re dreaming of sunbathing, barbecues, or just enjoying bright summer flowers and a gentle breeze.
Or perhaps you’re thinking of the summertime struggle to keep green spaces and pot plants well-watered. Cut down on the hard work this year with these water-saving tips and tricks. If you’re on a water meter, you might also find your bills come in a bit cheaper, too.
1. Invest in a water butt
Water butts are easy to fit to your downpipes, giving you a free and handy way to capture those April showers. With prices starting at around £25, if you’re on a water meter your butt could pay for itself by the end of the summer. They come in all shapes and sizes, so you can even squeeze one onto a balcony.
2. Do some savvy planting
Some summer flowers cope with dry conditions better than others. Mixing some drought-resistant plants into your garden will mean you can rest and enjoy the blooms rather than running around with a watering can all summer. Lavender, pelargonium, osteospermum, echinacea should do well, as do many shrubs and grasses.
3. Max out your soil moisture levels
Soil acts differently depending on what’s in it. You can mix compost, coconut fibre/coir or absorbent Swell Gel crystals into your soil to help it hold more moisture, so it dries out more slowly and is less likely to need watering.
4. Add some mulch
Adding a layer of mulch on top helps to trap water. Depending on the type you use, it can also add nutrients to soil and stop weeds from growing. The best time to add mulch is the spring, around April. Just weed your flowerbed or container and add a layer of mulch around the plants.
5. Water early or late
It’s recommended to water in early morning or late evening, when less moisture will be lost to evaporation. You can also check the weather forecast before watering – if there’s a shower predicted for the afternoon, save yourself the bother.
6. Make a DIY drip-waterer
You can buy all kinds of clever watering systems, but it’s also possible to make your own for free. Carefully pierce a few holes in the lid of a plastic bottle or wine bottle. Fill with water (this could be water from within the home, for example the water used to rinse a salad), screw the lid on, then wedge the bottle upside down next to your plant for a gentle drip feed.
Do you have more water-saving ideas and tricks? Let us know by Facebook!
Further information:
- Get free water-saving devices
- Check your water usage with MyAccount
- Check our water-saving tips pages
