Big plants, lush growth, verdant lawns and heavy harvests are often a result of one thing: water. If you are wondering why your plants are half the size of your neighbours’, I can guarantee there is a hidden soaker hose or sprinkler somewhere. That or they have the time to water the garden as if it were a full-time job. If I’m honest, I have spent a lot of time this hot, dry summer fantasising about a sprinkler.
But then again, I want a future, too, and this summer is a hot reminder that climate, not weather, dictates that. Water must be used wisely and justly. The hosepipe bans in north-west England and Northern Ireland are a pertinent reminder.
Instead, you should focus on creating healthy soil: the more organic matter the soil holds, the more it can absorb water, releasing it when the plants need it. Mulching keeps the top of the soil insulated and will slow down surface evaporation.
However, there is no getting around it: when it doesn’t rain, you do need to add water. Installing an electronic system that can be turned on overnight may not be cheap, but it is efficient. Watering in full sun is frankly sinful; the plant will become needy or scorched from the unnatural conditions, and you’re wasting water: much will be lost to evaporation.
Sunshine in the day followed by water at night is a plant’s idea of heaven, and you can create that with a soaker hose, which is porous so you can bury it just below the surface of the soil to hide itp; or a drip irrigation system, which allows water to drip slowly to the roots of the plants at certain points along a pipe. There are numerous setups, from professionally installed versions to ones you do yourself from companies such as Hozelock.
A cheaper solution is to create a grey water system which uses your waste household water. This is dependent on how clean your dirty water is; fat, detergents and solids are not ideal. The rinse cycle in the washing machine, washing up bowl or bath/ shower water tends to be the cleanest. Softened tap water and dishwasher water are problematic because of the amount of salt used (this can damage the soil structure).
Bath water can be used directly on perennials and trees, as long as you don’t have too much perfumed soap or shampoo. Don’t use it on food crops that you eat raw such as salads; there will be too much unwanted bacteria for that. The bath should cool before you use it, nor should you store grey water for more than 24 hours. For the short term, lug water out of the bath; longer term, investing in a siphon pump kit (Burgon & Ball make one for less than £10) will make life far easier.
