Beat the Heat: Part 2

by Rebecca on July 29th, 2007

Watering is a big deal when it gets into the later days of Summer. Here are a few tips to make it less of a chore.

If you live in an area that is prone to dry Summers, then don’t try to kid yourself into buying plants that need lots of water. Buy drought tolerant plants for your garden. This will save you a lot of headache. The more you can depend on nature to provide all the water your garden needs, the better.
Try to group plants by watering needs. This will save you from running all over the place trying to water scattered plants.
Don’t mow! Let your grass grow to it’s recommended height, which in most cases is a little higher than where it is normally kept. This encourages strong deep roots and makes grass more drought tolerant.
Build a rain barrel to collect water. This will save on your water bill, and will conserve what rain you do get, making it go a little further.
Run a garden hose with holes in it along your garden. When you need to water your flower bed, just turn the tap on. It will water your plants on the ground, avoiding water spots. It also saves a little time by watering several plants at once.
Adding a good layer of compost or other organic mulch will help conserve water loss during dry seasons.

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