With the weather becoming warmer, gardening will become a very common activity for the next months. Of course, efficient water use is essential to having a truly green garden. Below are some great simple water conservation tips obtained from Go for Green - The Active Living and Environment Program website.
Making Each Drop Count
**Plan and design your garden with water conservation in mind. For example, group plants with similar moisture requirements close together. Thus, you can water the thirsty plants as they need replenishing, rather than the whole garden.
**Use mulch in your garden to conserve water and to prevent weeds from growing. Compost, straw, dead leaves and shredded bark work well. Add lots of compost to improve the water-retention capabilities of your soil.
**Place plants that require the greatest amounts of water in areas that receive run-off from slopes or downspouts.
**Place drought-tolerant plants to the north and west position in the garden so they can shelter less drought-tolerant plants from the drying effects of the prevailing winds.
**Consider installing a water-efficient drip irrigation system for watering your garden.
**Make use of rainwater by redirecting your downspout onto your garden--or get a rain barrel and drain your downspout into that. You'll have a steady supply of chlorine-free water for the garden.
**Use native plants.
For more information, visit Go For Green
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