There are two main ways to save water in the garden, soil improvement and improve water delivery with water saving systems or products.
Improve water retention.
Soil Improvement can save water by improving water the holding and water retention ability of the soil as well a decreasing evaporation rates.
- Water retention and water holding can be improved by increasing the amount of humus in the soil. Adding lots of humus to soils will help improve water holding. This will help the soil actually hold more water. Humus can include compost, leaf mould, green manure crops, vermicast and similar products.
In Sandy soils, adding Kaolin, which is a form of clay will also assist. In fact in sandy soils the combination of Kaolin and humus is seen as ideal. - Remove weeds
Weeds use moisture, mulch does not, so weed removal will also improve water retention. - Decrease Evaporation
To decrease evaporation rates it is necessary to protect the soil from both sun and wind.This is where mulch is so important. Mulch protects the soil by creating a barrier. The soil remains cooler so evaporation is decreased.
Improving water delivery.
- Using systems such as drippers or irrigation systems can help improve the efficiency of watering. The water is delivered to the ground around the root system. Usually under mulch. This direct delivery is more efficient than spraying.
- You can also tailor these systems to deliver different amounts of water to different areas of the garden to suit the need of individual plants. Soaker hoses are another method.
Why do this ?
With increased cost of water and the need to conserve water during long dry periods, water saving systems have become increasingly important for both environmental and economic reasons.
The concept of saving water from wet periods of the year to use in drier times is not new. It allows gardeners to grow crops in summer that they would other struggle to grow through lack of water.
In the garden water saving focuses around the most efficient way of watering plants as well as methods of preventing water evaporation and retaining moisture in the soil. A number of water saving systems for gardens are available, its all about choosing the best for your own garden and climate.
One of the big issues is how we apply water to plants, gone are the days of sprinklers that allow far to much evaporation, drip irrigation is a much more efficient method.
Many new and innovative methods of conserving water have been developed over recent years, from cheaper water tanks to soil modification systems a product is available to suit most needs.
Water Saving Systems and Products include :
- Soil water retention crystals, polymer crystals.
- Grey Water systems.
- Water Tubes.
- Tanks.
- Irrigation equipment and sprinkler systems.
In most cases a combination of water saving systems will give the optimum result.
A rainwater tank combined with a grey water system and water retention products can be a very effective method of conserving water.
Water Saving Systems are available from the following suppliers
2/104 Wedgewood Rd Hallam VIC 3803
Propagation equipment, greenhouses, Wetpot Watering System, greenhouse film, shadecloth, fertilizers, Technical Advice, Fertilizer formulations, Leaf & Soil Analysis, Service, & spare parts
www.sagehort.com.au
Extensive range of quality irrigation products including Hunter and Rainbird, delivered to your door. Quality products, quality service and simply the lowest prices. Order online. Huge range of irrigation products at wholesale prices
www.irrigationstore.com.au