4 Easy Ways to Conserve Water in Your Garden This Summer

Days are heating up as summer graces us with its scorching presence. As school lets up and vacation time starts, so does getting outside in the garden to enjoy all that mother earth and ample sunshine have to offer.

Hot weather means more water use, whether you’re making sure your plant babies aren’t thirsty or your kids want to frolic in the sprinklers to cool off. All of this is in good spirits, however, water is a precious resource that needs to be conserved as much as possible. 

Fortunately, you don’t need to go to the moon to save water. There are numerous garden hacks that help make a difference. We share our favorite water conservation methods in this post.

Pick out drought-resistant plants

One way to eliminate the need for so much watering is by choosing drought-resistant plants such as tomatoes, pomegranate, aloe vera, fava beans, and burdock. 

Native plants that hail from the Mediterranean region are often drought-tolerant, such as thyme and oregano.

When watering your plants, try to avoid the leaves and water as close to the roots as possible. Not only does this slow down evaporation, but it protects your plants from developing fungal diseases and sunscald.

Incorporate a rain barrel

Do you live in a region that experiences a lot of rainfall during the summer? Consider installing a rain barrel to collect and recycle rainwater. 

This water is actually better for plants because it’s free of chemicals and radicals found in city water. Some towns even offer incentives to homeowners who set up rain barrels!

Mulch retains moisture

Apply a layer of high-quality organic mulch on top of your soil in flowerbeds to help retain moisture and water less often. 

Bear in mind that not all varieties will be as effective. Opt for woody mulches or compost mulches to get the best results.

How to use landscaping stones

Garden pebbles and boulders are naturally cooler than the surrounding environment, plus they’re great water savers!

Versatile and easy to install, there are several ways you can get creative with stones to cut down on evaporation. 

• Build a stone path or edge beds with stones to decrease water runoff
• Use small river pebbles or crushed stone as mulch to retain moisture
• Create a rain garden to capture rainwater, using landscaping stones