All of us are facing drought conditions that may or may not change in the next couple of months.
Below are tips to help you conserve water and still enjoy your garden. I also recommend visiting your local water district websites for great conservation information, grey water usage tips, and drought condition updates (see links at bottom of this note):
- Proper planning and planting practices will improve your success in the garden. While there are numerous plants that are considered less thirsty or “drought-tolerant”, the truth of the matter is that any plant, regardless of type, requires water to get established. Cacti and succulents are an exception in that they need very little water, whether established or not.
- When you are planting new plants this season, consider using water holding polymers such as Soil Moist. These non-toxic granules will hold water longer than soil alone, thus minimizing moisture loss due to evaporation.
- Applying mulch will also reduce moisture loss as well as keep roots cool. Both practices are recommended for in-ground and container planting. Use mulches on established and new plantings.
- When watering plants, especially if a drip system is used, irrigate for an appropriate amount of time. You do not save water by irrigating for a shortened amount of time, just the opposite. When you do not add enough water to the root zone, plants get thirsty faster, and more water is lost to evaporation. The result is that you will need to be irrigating more often. You will get better results irrigating for a longer period of time (more deeply), less often. Watering early in the day is always recommended to cut down on evaporation. Never water to the point of runoff. Focus your watering, whether an irrigation system or hose watering, on the plant root zones and don’t allow runoff down the sidewalk or driveway. Hit your target.
- Choose fertilizers carefully. Use transplant fertilizers such as EB Stone Organics Sure Start at the time of planting to hasten establishment. Feed with an appropriate food 6 weeks later, especially vegetables and flowers. Established plants need feeding in spring and late summer, or fall at minimum, to keep them looking good. Consider using dry or slow-release fertilizers in containers as opposed to water soluble foods. Dry fertilizers will feed your plants for a longer period of time.
- Ensure that your irrigation equipment is functioning properly and is the right system for the job. If you have automated irrigation controllers, consider replacing them with Smart controllers (utilizing weather patterns to irrigate) or manually operate them when needed. Replace washers on hoses and water bibs to prevent leakage. Run water at a moderate flow rather than opening the tap all the way, especially when hand watering. Use shut off valves on hoses so that water is not wasted as you move about the garden.
- Consider reducing the size of your lawn or replacing it. Sheet mulching, a layered mulch system that suppresses weed and grass growth, is a very efficient method for reclaiming the space and provides a good base for replacement with low-water-use groundcovers and shrubberies.
Keep an eye out for more tips from Sloat Garden Center to help conserve water while enjoying your garden, as well as information about products that will help. Together, we hope to come through these drought conditions with water to spare and a deeper understanding of how to use it wisely, regardless of the weather.
Thanks for choosing to garden with us.
Dave Stoner
President
Sloat Garden Center
