Tips on coping with a hosepipe ban
Today's announcement of hosepipe bans and water restrictions for millions of Britains means it could be a tough year for gardeners, particularly in the South and East.
The bans cover customers of Southern Water, South East Water, Thames Water, Anglian Water, Sutton & East Surrey, Veolia Central and Veolia South East.
Water rationing is something all growers will have to get used to. So rather than huff and puff each time a round of hosepipe bans comes in force, I guess it makes sense to get into sustainable, long term good habits now.
- Good soil quality can make a real difference in drought years. Lots of manure and vegetable matter will soak up water and stop the ground drying out so quickly.
- If you know where the thirsty runner beans are going, now is a good time to dig a trench and fill it with kitchen compost or balls of newspapers ready for sowing later in the year.
- Mulching -or covering the top layer of soil - prevents evaporation. Manure is good for this, as is compost.
- If you can't mulch, it's worthing breaking up the surface with a hoe.
- It makes sense to use water intelligently. Often vegetable and fruit beds get a soak when they don't really need one. The surface may be parched, but check a couple of inches below and you may find it is reasonably damp.
- The experts say a good soaking every three or four days is far more useful for plants that a light sprinkling every day. And they recommend using a rose on a watering can.
- Watering at the base of the plant is more efficient. Some gardeners scrape trenches around plants so the water doesn't run away.
- Saving water should be a no-brainer. That means using water butts connected to gutters on a shed or greenhouse to collect rainwater - and maybe even syphoning off water collected in a butt into a storage tank. Shove in a hose, suck til the water is nearly in your mouth and then place the business end of the hose into your tank, making sure it is below the hose end in the full water butt.
- You are still allowed to run a hosepipe off your own saved water supply. If you do, a drip hose or soaker is the best way to water your beds.
- Invest in a second watering can to save the trips to the communal tap when your own water butts have run out. And using a wheelbarrow to carry three or more cans helps when you're feeling particularly slothful.
- Remember that lettuces, rocket and tomatoes need lots of water, potatoes are less thirsty.