Low-Water Gardening Tips for a Thriving Summer Landscape
While summer can be an amazing time for your garden, a lot of work is required during this season to keep landscapes healthy and thriving. With the dry conditions and high temperatures, droughts are common across the UK, which can impact your outdoor space.
Many gardeners believe that they can counteract this by overwatering their garden during the summer, but not only can this hinder your landscape further, but it also has negative effects on the wider environment. Excessive watering of your garden can be costly to the environment and the homeowner, and therefore should be avoided as much as possible.
To keep your garden healthy this summer without wasting water, several low-water gardening methods should be implemented. As leading landscapers, Taming Mother Nature is sharing the best low-water gardening tips to help your outdoor space thrive this season without costing you or the planet too much.
1) Install Efficient Irrigation Systems
One of the most effective methods for low-water gardening is relying on irrigation systems. These systems are designed to provide efficient watering to your garden, or specific areas of the landscape without much effort.
Whether manual or automatic, irrigation systems take the guesswork out of watering and ensure that plants receive sufficient hydration, aiding growth and supporting summer blooms. There are several options for efficient irrigation systems, based on your needs and abilities, such as:
- Drip Irrigation Systems: These low-watering gardening tools deliver water directly to the roots of plants to reduce evaporation and water waste
- Timers And Sensors: Irrigation systems fitted with these automation features make it easier to care for your garden and avoid waste, by ensuring plants are watered regularly and to suitable amounts
- Hose-End Systems: This is a beginner-friendly form of irrigation that requires some manual programming, but is ideal for small gardens
Alternatively, if you are looking to take the guesswork out of watering, you can rely on our garden maintenance team. We will handle the requirements of your summer garden, including watering and fertilising, and offer routine sessions.
2) Harvest And Reuse Rainwater
We all understand the benefits of recycling, but did you know you can also recycle water? When it comes to caring for your garden, homeowners across Surrey and the UK as a whole are at a great advantage due to the likelihood of rain in every season.
Not only does rain water your garden for you, without the need for additional tools or using your water supply, but it can also give you more water to use in future. Harvesting rainwater allows you to have an ongoing supply of hydration for your outdoor space without the expense to your bills or the planet.
The easiest way to harvest rainwater is through installing water butts. From the traditional barrel-like structures to slimline and wall-mounted containers, you can harvest rainwater directly from drains, roofs or even outdoor structures such as greenhouses. This will collect in the main container, giving you an ongoing supply of water to use across the garden on the hottest days.
Water butts are cost-effective and a great investment as they offer long-term benefits, and can be installed in a range of outdoor spaces.
3) Choose Drought-Resistant Plants
A great way to incorporate low-water gardening this season, and many more to follow, is through drought-resistant plants. These hardy shrubs and flowers can survive with little to no watering, reducing the need for this task altogether, and there are plenty of options to align with all garden designs.
With drought-resistant plants, not only will your garden thrive this summer, but it will also be a tranquil, low-maintenance space that provides you with more time to enjoy the outdoors.
Some of the best drought-resistant plants are hardy perennials such as:
- Lavender: A popular option for all kinds of outdoor spaces, with its lilac flowers and fragrant aroma, evokes calm and tranquillity
- Sedum (Stonecrop): These are hardy, low-maintenance plants that produce dense, waxy leaves and can thrive unattended in most soil conditions
- Verbena: With its tiny purple flowers, this hardy plant offers colour and seasonal interest to borders and planters
- Salvia: The upright jewel-toned flowers of this plant continue to thrive into the late summer season, prolonging the appeal of your outdoor space
4) Mulch To Lock In Moisture
Mulching is one of the most effective low-water gardening methods and a great way to help your garden thrive throughout the seasons. Organic mulch, such as compost, manure or wood chips, should be applied as a protective layer in flower beds and planters to support soil conditions, including moisture levels.
It is important that when using organic mulch, you avoid packing plants too tightly and leave space around the stems or trunks. Organic materials can provide essential nutrients and moisture directly to the root of your plants as they decompose, but this decomposition needs space to breathe.
Mulch can also suppress weeds and prevent evaporation, ensuring your plants get as much hydration as possible from watering.
With an even layer of mulch around your plants, you can rest assured that the soil temperature and condition will be maintained. This supports growth and blooms in all weather conditions and can be applied to most plants, flowers and trees.
5) Maintain Best Watering Practices For Summer
Watering your garden in the summer requires a specific schedule to ensure maximum absorption. Watering should be done during the coolest hours of the day to ensure plants absorb water, as opposed to it evaporating in the heat. This means that your watering efforts will not be wasted, nor will any water, as you are providing exactly what the plants need.
During the summer, watering should be done early morning or late evening, when the sun is at its lowest, to ensure this. In this season, it is also recommended to focus on occasional deep watering as opposed to more frequent, but lighter care.
The aim is to ensure all plants have access to hydration and that they are given a sufficient amount to support their growth during this period. Sprinklers, watering hoses, and watering cans should be used to ensure accurate hydration. Small watering cans are ideal for containers, pots and hanging baskets as they can provide precise measurements.
Taming Mother Nature: Professional Garden Maintenance For Every Season
At Taming Mother Nature, we specialise in providing garden and grounds maintenance to outdoor spaces across the region. Our team of landscape gardeners takes pride in their arboricultural knowledge and uses this to deliver precise, routine maintenance to all kinds of landscapes.
From compact urban gardens to sprawling country estates, we offer garden maintenance, including watering, planting and lawn care, throughout the year to keep your garden in prime condition. If you are concerned about watering this summer and want to give your garden the best chance at thriving, we can help.
Conclusion
With these low-water gardening tips, you can ensure your garden is thriving and healthy this season without waste. Using too much water or watering inefficiently costs not only you, but the planet, and should be avoided as much as possible.
By using irrigation systems, carefully planning your watering times, and relying on a mixture of drought-resistant plants, you can reduce your water usage for better sustainability and affordability.
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