7 Basic Ways To Save Water In Your Garden (Let’s Do It)
Among all other natural resources, water is the most vital natural resource on which every living being relies. However, it's an unsustainable resource that will end very soon if we keep wasting and consuming it carelessly.
Being a key element contributing to the healthy survival of humans, water is slowly becoming a scarce resource which is expected to run out by 2040 if we don't stop mistreating its usage. Fresh water is becoming a scarce drinking resource, and many freshwater sources are threatened by waste, dumping of industrial pollutants, and fertilizer runoff.
“Currently, around 1.2 billion people in the world have limited access to water, which means that one in six people do not have drinking water for their needs, because the demand for water exceeds the supply, and this situation does not show signs.”
This is an alarming situation for mankind and is not taken very seriously. If we don't want to let our upcoming generations face the consequences due to our negligence regarding saving water, we need to look up some basic ways to save water.
For instance, water is needed in gardening, therefore a lot of water waste is situated there. If you are a gardener, you need to equally focus on saving water while taking care of your plants, and I'll tell you just how it's done.
1) Stop overwatering your plants
This point is very crucial in order to save water while caretaking your plant than any other point yet the most commonly ignored one. Like literally you really need to know about your plant’s requirements before just overwatering it.
According to research, overwatered plants result in lesser fresh mass than underwatered and optimally controlled plants combined. It showed that overwatering can be as harmful as underwatering plants, with a lower nutritional content than plants treated optimally.
Both water and plants will be thankful if you visit a professional landscape center and get a designed schedule to water the right amount before you discover your plant’s bad condition due to severe fungal diseases. Overwatering also causes your plants to wilt and die eventually so it can turn very harmful.
2) Don't waste, reuse it!
There are many surprising yet cool ways that you can save water while taking care of your garden plants. You really will be appreciated if you started reusing water by:
. watering your plants with remains of water after boiling eggs or pasta or anything instead of draining it in the sink,
. transfer water leaking from your washing machine to the garden instead of other places,
. place a thirsty plant pot under your Split AC Outdoor Unit so that the water trickling is consumed by the plant instead of being wasted.
3) Drought-tolerant plants are better
There are many plant species like lavender, yarrow, and grevilleas that can survive in rough conditions within a dry climate. They don't require as much water as other plants and can survive in low water conditions.
According to the American Journal Of Plant Physiology, plants have various mechanisms to cope with drought stress, such plants with greater drought tolerance are promoted by traditional selective breeding in farms and now genetic engineering offers promising results. This helps obtain agronomically important crops that can cope with drought stress efficiently.
Drought-tolerant plants are water-friendly and can lead to less water wastage in your garden. Try consulting with a nearby professional landscape advisor to assist you with picking such species of plants for your landscape.
4) Mulching really helps
As a gardener, you might have heard about mulching. Mulching is the action of using mulch around the soil surface to lock moisture and protect roots from losing water. It is widely used in the agricultural sector for a greater crop yield and restricting soil erosion.
Mulching is significantly effective in dryland farming where water is limited and crop yield has to be maximized. Mulches are available in two kinds: biodegradable (organic) and plastic-based (inorganic). Both kinds are exceptionally well at preserving water in certain areas, however, research continues to investigate which one is a better option for them.
A thick film of organic mulches like grass clippings and shredded bark can be spread around the soil area of plants in order to lock moisture in the soil and keep the roots cool as well.
5) Check the time of the day and water the right areas!
Two related points under one heading, the best time to water your plants is in the morning when there are no harsh sun rays around to ensure the hydration of plants for the whole day and capture moisture before it is lost to surroundings through evaporation.
Also, be mindful to target the correct areas to water like always go for the soil and not the leaves because it helps keep transpiration to a minimum level as well as the leaves are less vulnerable to attacks of fungi. Invest in a proper irrigation system to issue lesser water bills to pay and save plants and water.
6) Use a sprinkler to water the lawn
For effective water absorption, use a sprinkler to water many plants in a large lawn in sufficient amounts that are easily accessible in hardware stores and have the tendency to fulfill coverage of water in the huge space. Additionally, it helps you to conserve your time and energy.
7) Install a rain barrel
An inexpensive device that is fit for plants because it’s independent of many of the harmful chemicals and salts that are supplied through groundwater or city-water sources. A qualified landscape irrigation professional can help you decide how best to combine rainwater with your current irrigation system.
Conclusion
If you are a gardener or about to start gardening, the points covered in this article were some basic knowledge and facts delivered that you should know about. Global warming is no joke, and water is a non-renewable resource we are heavily dependent upon.
If water runs out as predicted in 2040, it's going to heavily impact the world, all industries will shut down, food scarcity will worsen, and life will be unimaginable. Thinking of the worst should make us responsible and implement water-saving techniques in our daily lives to save us from regretting it in the future.
Let me know what you think about that!
