Garden water use

Water is vital for successful gardening - follow the tips below and get the most out of the water you use:

• Conserve moisture in the soil by applying a few inches of mulch which will compost after a thorough watering.
• Avoid watering plants little and often as this will encourage shallow rooting - occasional but thorough watering will make plants more resilient to periods of drought.
• Watering over the leaves of plants is wasteful as a high proportion evaporates - water around the base of the plant.
• Help plants retain moisture by placing pots in the shaded parts of the garden.
• Water later in the day to avoid moisture loss through evaporation.
• Avoid wasting water by distributing the water you use more effectively with a watering can or a hose with a trigger attachment - sprinklers are wasteful.
• Recycle bath, washing up and shower water on established plants, but remember to avoid water that is heavily loaded with detergents as it may damage your plants.
• Stop the competition for water - remove the weeds.
• Avoid frost damage and the worst effects of waterlogging to delicate plants by raising flower beds.
• Spike lawns and fold flower beds - this will keep soil well drained in wet winter months.
• Keep an eye on the weather forecast - it could rain tomorrow.

If you're thinking of designing your own water-efficient garden here's some helpful tips.

• Compost green waste from your house and use this in your garden as a mulch.
• Choose plants suitable for dry conditions and water storage gel to make your garden more water efficient. 
• Use mulch to reduce the loss of water from the garden soil.
• Dig in mulch or manure to increase the organic content of the soil.
• Use bark chips as a mulch to hold moisture and keep down weeds.
• Regularly hoe soil to stop cracks in the ground which let water wash away.
• Ground-cover plants create shade that hold moisture in the soil.
• Washed gravel keeps the ground moist and discourages weeds.
• Trellis screening casts shade to provide a cool area for climbing plants.
• Dig pea gravel and coir into the soil and then top with more gravel to create a perfect environment for alpines.

Aeration

Avoid compacted lawns by spiking it all over and then brush sand and compost into the holes. You can do this with a garden fork.

Mowing

Leave the lawn a little longer between mows to keep in moisture and also leave the cuttings on the lawn. This also helps keep in moisture.

Wild gardens

Why not let part of your garden go wild? You could see colourful flowers such as poppies, speedwells and buttercups that encourage wildlife.

New lawns

Plant new lawns in autumn and for best results, add some organic matter to the top layer of soil to keep in moisture. Preparing the soil will allow water to enter quickly. Why not use some drought-resistant rye grass? We make an allowance for metered customers who have to bed in a new lawn.

If you've recently laid a lawn, view some useful tips to help you get the most out of your new lawn - produced in conjunction with The Turfgrass Growers Association.