Get a water butt
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There are a whole host of advantages that come with getting a water butt. They give you a plentiful supply of FREE water to keep your plants hydrated, help you to save on your bills if you have a water meter and you can even link multiple butts together using butt lining kits. What’s not to love?
Think twice before filling paddling pools
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Paddling pools use lots of water, so think carefully before deciding to take the plunge. If you do decide to use a paddling pool, try filling it up halfway - just as you would a bath, and reuse the water to wash your car or water your plants. You can even cover your pool with a bed sheet or bin bag to keep the water usable for up to 3 days, just make sure to skim any bugs off the surface before and after use.
Water plants early in the morning or in the evening
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Although it might seem like your plants need water during the hottest part of the day, it’s actually better for them to get watered early on or later in the evenings. The cooler temperatures mean that water is less likely to evaporate, reducing humidity and mitigating the risk of rot and detrimental fungal growth.
Water plants at the root
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By watering directly at the roots, you're providing the plants with water directly where it needs it, meaning that you can use less water and lose water less to evaporation. watering a small surface area reduces evaporation. You can use a watering can to reduce the amount you water. For those who cannot or struggling to use a watering can, a hosepipe can still be used. When using the hosepipe, open the tap open partially instead of all the way to reduce the pressure and constrain flow.
Stop watering your lawn
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Although noticing your lawn browning could cause alarm, it’s completely normal during spells of dry weather. Unless it has been newly laid, your lawn will return to being lusciously green when watered again. Lawns are surprisingly hardy and can go for fairly long periods without water and still return to normal.
Mulch around your plants
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Mulch is any material that is spread across soil as a covering. It helps to stop weeds from poking through and saves water by retaining moisture in warm weather, as well as protecting plant roots during colder spells.
Plant drought hardy plants
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All plants are beautiful, but some are more resilient to warm weather. Drought resistant plants like lavender, hardy geraniums and bearded irises all look gorgeous and require much less watering than other more demanding flowers.
