Guide for Maintaining Healthy Gardens During Drought Conditions

When the scorching sun meets the scorched earth, it's crucial to give your garden the hydration it needs to survive. But, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we waste around 50% of the outdoor water we use. Uh-oh!

Creating a gorgeous, verdant garden requires a lot of water, but when the rainy season fades, it can quickly turn into a parched patch of land. With summer heating up, watering your garden becomes a priority.

But fear not, for there are numerous smart, easy ways to slash your water usage without sacrificing your blossoming flowers, mouth-watering produce, and lush green grass.

Why Should You Save Water?

Watering everything in your yard can be costly! The EPA estimates that 30% to 60% of a household's daily water usage is outdoors. And it's not great for the environment either, as freshwater is a finite resource vital for human life and global biodiversity. So, let's get to it and help you conserve this precious resource!

We've gathered advice from environmental protection agencies and university agricultural and extension departments across the country, from Virginia to Massachusetts to Oregon, to provide you with the best water-saving techniques for this growing season.

1. Amend Sandy Soil with Organic Matter

What's your soil type? If it's sandy, you'll need to water more frequently because sand doesn't hold moisture for long. Improving your soil is key to combating this issue.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Educator Elizabeth Exstrom writes that clay soils retain water well. Luckily for you, organic matter can be mixed into your soil to help it hold moisture, benefiting both your plants and your water conservation efforts.

The University of Massachusetts Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (UMass CAFE) recommends maintaining 4% - 5% organic matter in your soil, particularly for your vegetable garden. Some organic materials you can incorporate into your garden include compost, untreated grass clippings, leaf mold, and aged animal manure.

2. Mulch Wisely

Organic mulch is your garden's BFF, as it helps the soil retain moisture, reduces runoff, and prevents weed growth. Once the soil warms up, surround your plants with a 2-inch to 3-inch layer of mulch, suggests UMass CAFE.

Assistant Professor at the South Dakota State University Extension Kristine Lang points out that perennials accustomed to drier conditions shouldn't have a thick layer of organic mulch around them, as it can create too moist an environment. Lang recommends straw or hay for vegetable gardens, wood chips for perennial flower landscapes, and pine needles for annuals, perennials, and vegetable plants. Leaves are a fantastic option, but they need to be shredded or partially decomposed before being used in your garden. And dry your grass clippings before you apply them to help them soak up water more efficiently.

3. Grow Drought-Resistant Plants

Drought-resistant veggies and fruits are a thing! Exstrom also suggests checking out bush-type varieties of vegetables, as they often don't require as much water as the vining types.

Exstrom lists some water-efficient or drought-resistant vegetables: Swiss Chard, asparagus, peppers, mustard greens, eggplant, and Roma tomatoes. To save even more water, grow warm-weather vegetables that do better with less water than cool-weather plants.

4. Keep Comfortable Companions

How you arrange your plants can drastically impact their water needs. UMass CAFE suggests placing the same plant variety in blocks or wide rows, rather than in single rows. This way, your plants shade each other and slow evaporation, reducing weed growth and allowing water to be conserved.

The "Three Sisters" method also works wonders for water conservation. Combining corn, squash, and beans in the same area can take the space of one plant, as the beans climb up the corn stalks, and both the beans and squash shield the soil, saving water and preventing weeds.

5. Adjust Your Watering Schedule

The Regional Water Providers Consortium suggests all watering should take place before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., when temperatures are cooler and evaporation is slower. The Virginia Cooperative Extension prefers the morning since wind impact is also at its lowest.

Watering during the early hours helps reduce the growth of fungal diseases on your grass, something you want to avoid at nighttime.

6. Check Your Equipment

Take a closer look at your garden's hoses, spigots, and sprinklers. Adding a shut-off nozzle can save you tons of water – up to 7 gallons per minute while your hose is on! Another quick fix is to replace rubber washers that have worn away or are missing to stop leaks. Do you see water leaking at a connection? Don't forget plumber's tape (Teflon tape) to seal out water.

7. Soaker Hoses and Drip Irrigation

Soaker hoses with a timer are a great choice for water conservation. They can reduce your water needs by half by delivering water directly to the root zone, which is especially efficient when combined with mulch.

8. Water Wisely

Providing plants the right amount of water is key to keeping them thriving. According to UMass CAFE, new plantings should be watered if less than 1 inch of rain has fallen in the last 5 to 7 days. But remember, roots need air as well as water, so too much water can kill them. Avoid overwatering to prevent diseases and pests.

9. Rain Barrel-a-bang!

Rain barrels are a low-cost, easy-to-install solution to collecting and storing rainwater. Connect your downspout to the barrel, and water your lawn and garden without tapping into the main water supply.

As with all graywater systems, there are some precautions to follow: only use the collected water on your lawn and ornamental landscape, never on edible plants, as it may contain pathogens and chemicals.

10. Plant Native

Slash your water bill and simplify your life by replacing some of your lawn with native plants and ground cover, shrubs, and trees. Native plants have evolved to thrive with the typical rainfall your area receives, so they require less watering than exotic plants.

11. Plant Drought-Resistant Grass

Swap out your thirsty bluegrass with drought-resistant grasses like tall fescue, which needs only half as much water per week. Tall fescue, bermudagrass, and St. Augustine grass are more water-efficient than Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses.

Maintain your lawn at a higher setting when you mow to provide more shade to the roots, helping the soil retain moisture better. And, for the best results, choose the right grass for your climate and Soil.

Where to Start?

Start your water conservation journey by adjusting your sprinkler so it doesn't water the sidewalk or driveway. Or, pick up a broom instead of the hose to clean off the driveway. Little steps add up to significant water savings.

Author

Tobey Young has been cultivating her green thumb for over a decade, starting with a school fundraiser's bare root strawberry plants. Today, she runs a hillside hobby farm in Indiana, alongside her husband, kids, mini donkeys, goats, and chickens. When she's not busy freelance writing or homeschooling her kids, she's busy maintaining farm life.

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Enrichment Data:

Overall: Reducing water usage in your garden while maintaining a lush environment involves several strategies recommended by environmental protection agencies and university agricultural departments. Here are some key methods:
1. Use Mulch:
  - Benefits: Mulching helps retain soil moisture, reduces evaporation, suppresses weeds, and keeps roots cooler. Living organic mulch such as straw, wood chips, and shredded leaves is particularly effective, reducing surface evaporation by up to 70% [1, 3, 4].
  - Application: Apply a 2 to 3-inch layer of organic mulch around plants [1, 4].
2. Water Deeply and Infrequently:
  - Benefits: This method encourages plants to develop strong, healthy root systems that are less dependent on frequent watering. It can reduce watering frequency by up to 60% [2, 4].
  - Techniques: Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation systems for even water distribution directly to the root zone, minimizing evaporation [2].
3. Choose the Right Time to Water:
  - Benefits: Watering early in the morning reduces evaporation and allows plants to absorb water throughout the day [5].
  - Timing: Water your garden early in the morning to avoid midday evaporation [5].
4. Understand Your Soil Type:
  - Benefits: Knowing your soil type – whether sandy, clay, or loam – helps determine how often to water. Sandy soils require more frequent watering due to fast drainage, while clay soils need less frequent watering because they retain moisture longer [2, 5].
5. Use Efficient Irrigation Systems:
  - Benefits: Drip irrigation and soaker hoses deliver water directly to the roots, reducing runoff and evaporation [2].
  - Implementation: Install these systems to ensure efficient water distribution.

By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce water usage while maintaining a thriving garden environment.

By swapping out your lawn with native plants or adding drought-resistant grass, you can reduce the amount of water required to maintain a healthy lawn while providing a beautiful and colorful landscape. Native plants have evolved to thrive in specific climates and ecosystems, making them more adapted to the water conditions of your region. They also require less maintenance than non-native plants, reducing water waste from overwatering. Drought-resistant grasses, such as Buffalo grass or Zoysia grass, also require less water, making them an excellent alternative to traditional lawn grasses.

1. SOIL AMOENDMENTS

Soil amendments help improve the structure and water retention of your garden soil, reducing the need for frequent watering. Here are some common soil amendments to consider:

Compost: Organic matter, such as compost, enhances the soil's nutrient content, promotes beneficial microorganism growth, and improves the soil's structure while reducing water usage.
Peat moss: Peat moss is a versatile amendment that helps retain moisture, improve water-holding capacity, and aerate the soil. It is especially effective when mixed with sandy soils.
Perlite: Perlite is an inorganic material that improves drainage and aeration in the soil, reducing waterlogging and improving water usage efficiency. It is especially beneficial in clay soils.
Vermiculite: Vermiculite is another inorganic material that improves water retention and aeration, absorbing up to 10 times its weight in water. It is ideal for improving drainage in heavy clay soils.
Gypsum: Gypsum is used to break up compacted soils, improve soil structure, and promote moisture retention. It is especially effective in clay soils that have become hydrophobic (water-repellent).

Soil amendments can be mixed directly into the soil or used as a top dressing around your plants. For best results, blend the amendment thoroughly with the existing soil before planting.

2. WATER-SAVING METHODS

By implementing water-saving methods, you can conserve water while maintaining a healthy, beautiful garden. Here are some simple techniques:

Drip irrigation: Drip irrigation is an efficient watering system that delivers water directly to the roots of plants, reducing evaporation and runoff. By using drip emitters, you can control the flow of water and ensure that it is applied at the correct rate for each plant species.
Soaker hoses: Soaker hoses are another effective watering method that releases water slowly through the length of the hose, allowing it to be absorbed directly by the soil. Soaker hoses are easy to use and can be adjusted to suit the watering needs of each plant.
Mulching: Mulching is an essential technique for water conservation as it helps retain moisture, reduce evaporation, suppress weeds, and moderate soil temperature fluctuations. Organic mulches, such as wood chips, straw, or shredded leaves, are effective in retaining moisture, while inorganic mulches such as gravel or stone help prevent soil erosion and improve drainage.
Rain barrels: Rain barrels are a simple and cost-effective way to collect and store rainwater for later use. You can install a rain barrel using a standard barrel or a specially designed rain barrel container connected to your gutters. Rain barrels can save you up to 1,300 gallons of water during peak rain events, and they help you use water more sustainably while reducing stormwater runoff.

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To combat sandy soil's poor water retention, amend it with organic matter like compost, leaf mold, aged animal manure, or grass clippings.
Watering early morning or late evening helps reduce evaporation, thus saving water and preventing fungal diseases.
Adjust your watering schedule to provide plants with the right amount of water, ensuring roots get air as well as water to prevent diseases and pests.
Use mulch wisely to help soil retain moisture, reduce runoff, and prevent weed growth. Opt for straw or hay for vegetable gardens, wood chips for flower landscapes, and pine needles for annuals, perennials, and vegetables.
Grow drought-resistant plants like Swiss Chard, asparagus, peppers, mustard greens, Roma tomatoes, and bush-type varieties of vegetables for reduced watering needs.
Plant native plants and ground cover, shrubs, and trees to reduce water bills and simplify your gardening life, as they thrive with typical rainfall.
Keep comfortable companions by arranging plants closely to help shade each other, slow evaporation, reduce weed growth, and allow water conservation.
Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation systems to deliver water directly to plant roots and ensure efficient water distribution while minimizing evaporation.
Collect and store rainwater using a rain barrel connected to your downspout to water your lawn and garden without using tap water.
Harvest your homegrown vegetables, fruits, and herbs to enjoy the benefits of your gardening efforts and appreciate the science behind climate-change adaptation in your home-and-garden lifestyle.
Consider replacing your lawn with drought-resistant grasses like tall fescue, bermudagrass, or St. Augustine grass to save water and maintain a beautiful lawn.
The soil, climate-change, and environmental-science all play essential roles in choosing the right plants, watering timetable, equipment, and techniques for a sustainable, water-efficient garden.

Guide for Maintaining Healthy Gardens During Drought Conditions