| Gardening in areas where there is little rain or rationed | | | | best time to water is during the early morning hours. |
| water can be challenging and difficult. There are ways | | | | Adding a layer of mulch to your garden helps retain |
| however to make the most of what water or rainfall | | | | the moisture content of your soil. The mulch effectively |
| you have. This is done by finding ways to use your | | | | insulates the soil and improves the quality of your soil. |
| available home tools to minimize water loss from your | | | | The mulch will eventually decompose and add to the |
| garden or by maximizing the use of the water you | | | | organic content of the soil, making it richer and more |
| have. | | | | able to support healthier plants as well as retain more |
| Maximizing the use of water: | | | | moisture, which in turn requires less watering. |
| The first step would be to invest in a good water | | | | By adding minerals and soil additive you can improve |
| hose. Regularly check you water hoses and make | | | | the quality of your soil. Test your soil then add to it |
| sure the washers are properly installed to minimize | | | | what it is lacking. Increasing the organic matter in your |
| water loss. Cheap hoses normally do not last long and | | | | soil allows it to retain water longer. Make sure you |
| spring leaks often especially if left in the hot sun. | | | | have the right garden home tools for the job. |
| Cheap hoses are difficult to coil and store and are | | | | Set up rainwater collection systems in your backyard |
| subject to kinking, making them extremely inefficient. | | | | or around your house. Use this water to water your |
| Purchase a reasonably priced rubber hose as vinyl | | | | planters and pots. Using your home tools, you could |
| hoses do not last long. A variety of garden hoses are | | | | install hoses to your water collecting system and have |
| available at stores that sell garden home tools. | | | | a soaker hose water irrigation system set up. |
| If you don't have time to water or have a bigger | | | | Another thing to take into consideration is the type of |
| budget, consider installing a soaker hoses irrigation | | | | plants in your garden. Choose plants that are suitable |
| system. This may be a simple weekend project with | | | | to your climate. Study your weather and know your |
| the right home tools. The irrigation system will save | | | | gardening zones well. Trying to grow plants from |
| you a lot of time and water. The holes in hoses can be | | | | outside your gardening zone may require excessive |
| directed to areas where the water is needed at the | | | | watering but if you choose plants that can adapt to a |
| base of the plant. This will reduce the amount of water | | | | drier environment and do not require frequent watering, |
| lost to evaporation and run off. | | | | you will be rewarded with plants that thrive. |
| It is however essential that you check your system | | | | By treating water as an important and valuable |
| regularly for holes or any other damage that would | | | | commodity and using some imagination and the right |
| hinder your efficiency. Choosing the best time of day | | | | home tools, you can have beautiful and lush garden in |
| to water can also help with your water conservation. | | | | areas that experience drought. Even in areas that |
| Water at night is not the most efficient as this leads to | | | | ration water in the summer months. |
| mildews and fungi potentially infecting your plants. The | | | | |