Why Should We Save Water?

Although about 71 percent of the world's land is covered by water, about 97 percent of it is saltwater, making it inedible to humans unless desalinated, an expensive process.

This makes fresh, clean water an extremely precious resource.

With today's rising temperatures, the need to reduce and conserve water is more important than ever.

Global warming means that droughts have become more common in recent times, which may further limit access to clean and fresh water.

For many third world countries, the supply of clean drinking water is very limited due to pollution.

This may not be a big deal in the western world, but there are plenty of other reasons to conserve water.

Saving water reduces energy use and can save households hundreds of pounds a year. Appliances such as garden hoses, washing machines and dishwashers all use a lot of water and energy, costing homeowners money.

As a country, the more water we use, the more pressure it puts on the septic tanks and sewage systems that have to deal with the water we consume. The stress this puts on our water treatment facilities sometimes means that dirty, untreated water seeps from the sewage system into the ground.

Everyone, no matter where in the world they live, can take steps to reduce water usage to prevent waste, which not only benefits the local environment, but also globally.

10 Ways to Save Water in the Garden

1.Avoid using sprinklers and hoses

Many people suffer from dry, patchy lawns throughout the summer, and sometimes the only cure is regular watering with a hose or sprinkler system. 

However, sprinklers can use up to 1,000 liters of water per hour. This is equivalent to the amount of water the average household needs every day.

2.Use watering cans instead of a garden hose

If your plants require regular watering, filling a watering can instead of using a garden hose can significantly reduce water usage.

3.Install a water butt

Connecting the bucket to the drain downspout is a brilliant idea as it is actually the source of free water. It also reduces the amount of water flowing through our already overloaded sewage systems.

4.Install artificial grass

Artificial grass is a great way to keep out water. It requires the least amount of water compared to real grass, although it may need occasional flushing with water during light rains. You also no longer need to worry about a dry brown patchy lawn as it will look thick and luscious year round.

5.Reuse household water

There are many ways you can recycle or reuse the water you consume in your home. For example, if you often boil or steam vegetables, pasta or rice, why not pour the excess water over the plants? There is also the potential added bonus that the extra nutrients will further help your plants grow. Can also be used on plants if there is still tea in the pot. (Note: use black tea only - if it's been poured over and has milk and sugar added, it's not suitable.)

Other examples of recycling household water include reusing bath water, old fish tank water, or, the next time you shower, placing a bucket on the floor to catch wasted water while you wait for your shower to heat up.

6.Add mulch to plant beds

Bark mulch is excellent at retaining and absorbing moisture, helping to reduce evaporation by up to 75%. This means your bed needs less water than usual.

7.Choose your plants carefully

When choosing new plants for your garden, pay attention to the plants you choose. To conserve water, you'll ideally want to choose smaller plants and shrubs over larger ones, as they use less water.

It's also important to choose pants that require very little water. As a general rule of thumb, this means choosing plants with small, narrow leaves.

8.Consider your choice of container carefully

If you are looking for an attractive yet low maintenance garden we highly recommend using containers for your plants and shrubs as you will find them easier to manage and maintain.

However, be sure to choose your container wisely.

Some materials, such as metal, heat up quickly, causing the soil to dry out quickly. Clay and clay pots can also be a problem because they lose moisture through their porous surfaces. It's important to choose a pot or container that will hold moisture, and plastic fits the bill.

The downside to plastic pots is that you might not find them as attractive as clay or terracotta, but remember you can still have more attractive pots - just make sure to keep a moisture container in there .

9.Control weed growth

Not only are weeds unsightly, but they also absorb moisture from the soil. Remove weeds from flower beds and containers regularly to reduce the amount of water your plants and shrubs need.

10.Don’t overwater

This may seem obvious, but it's actually pretty easy to water plants and shrubs. There are several ways to tell if a plant is overwatered; the leaves may be brown or yellow, they may have shriveled even though the soil is moist, or the plant may have blisters or lesions from water swelling.

Conclusion

Water is a very precious resource on which we and our gardens depend, but we are all responsible for reducing our water usage and the amount of waste we generate.

There are many ways to do this, and I hope this article has helped inspire you to save water.

Of course, there are not only environmental issues at stake here, but also the economic benefits of reducing water consumption.

If your lawn lacks moisture, why not consider installing artificial turf in your garden?

It requires minimal water and turns any lawn or garden area into a lush green lawn that requires little maintenance and looks great year round.

For more details about artificial grass for lawn or garden, you can click Contact us, or you can request a free sample now.

Do you have any other ideas on how to save water in your garden? Welcome to contact us anytime you want to share with us.