Top tips for water efficient gardening

To celebrate National Gardening Week (26 April – 2 May) in the most environmentally friendly way possible, Yorkshire Water has provided some top tips for staying water efficient when looking after your plants.

Neil Dewis, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said: “We know gardening has been a great hobby for a lot of people during lockdown, and now that spring is here lots of people will be outside enjoying the warmer weather and tending to their plants.

“When we have dry spell, it’s easy to use a lot of water in your garden by using a hose or sprinklers to give everything a good drink – but it’s really important to conserve water where you can. In our recent survey it was great to hear that almost two thirds of people would describe water saving as important to them.

“Reducing the amount of water you use helps the environment by easing pressure on reservoirs, rivers and other water sources and helps to ensure there’s enough to go around.”

There are plenty of easy ways to reduce water use in your garden – here are some of Yorkshire Water’s top tips:

Time to save

A really easy way to get the most out of watering your plants is to water your flower beds in the early morning or late evening. This will mean more water is absorbed by your thirsty plants as less is lost through evaporation.

Put some layers on!

You can help keep you flower beds moist by adding a layer of leaves, bark or compost to your flower beds which will also help retain moisture and reduce the need for watering.

Water-wise plants

Try adding some drought-resistant plants to your garden such as lavender. It looks great, smells wonderful and doesn’t need a lot of water to thrive.

Pool your resources

We’re used to lots of rain in Yorkshire, so installing a water butt (or making your own with an empty milk carton) is a great way to make the most out of those downpours. You can collect it and store it ready to use on your garden when we’re having a dry spell.

Save it for another day

Keep your paddling pool water fresh for longer by placing a fitted sheet over it, to stop bugs getting in overnight. Once you’ve had enough splashing around, the water can then be used to water your flower beds.

It’ll bounce back

When there’s a long dry spell, grass can start to look brown – but don’t forget that grass is one of the most resilient plants you can have in your garden, when eventually the rain does come, it’ll bounce right back to a vibrant green once again.

For more information on water saving, visit https://www.yorkshirewater.com/your-water/save-water/