With drought summers increasingly predicted due to global warming, accompanied by hose pipe bans likely to come again in many areas, it certainly makes sense to wise up to potential water shortages in your garden.
Collecting rain water makes good sense, and guttering diverted to collect water in a water butt is the perfect option and an elegant Oak Barrel waterbutt would be both functional and stylish.
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 attached to a water butt 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.
Planting in growbags, you'll find plant halos incredibly simple yet stunningly effective. Plant halos are pushed into a planting hole cut in the plastic skin of a grow bag and feature a watering moat around the outside of the central planting hole. Just top this outer ring up with water, apply liquid feed to the centre hole and the two sets of roots which develop will do the rest! ough,
Don’t over water though 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!
Rainwater is infinitely better for plants than tap water which often has fluorides and chlorine additives which are no good for plants and remember plants are best watered at their roots as so much is wasted by evaporation when sprinklers and hoses are used.
Going on holiday soon? The Easy2GO will keep plants watered for weeks using a simple gardening tray and water butt. The AQUAValve is placed directly onto the tray with your potted plants, it distributes water to the pots from below.
Unlike other holiday watering kits the easy2GO provides optimum levels of water to meet your plants requirements - without the need for timers or electricity - ensuring you return home to plants that are thriving.
Of course one of the most effective ways of reducing your watering 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 during the spring and this will help hold moisture in the garden soil throughout the summer.
