How do I make my garden need less watering?

Watering demand is set by soil, exposure and plant choice. All three are adjustable, and the changes compound — improved soil holds more, mulch keeps it there, and appropriate plants need less of it in the first place.

What you'll need

• Compost or organic matter
• Mulch
• Water butt (optional)

Step by step

1. Improve the soil with organic matter.Compost and well-rotted manure dramatically increase how much water soil holds. It is the single most effective long-term change.
2. Mulch thickly and keep it topped up.Five to eight centimetres roughly halves evaporation from the soil surface. Apply it to already-damp soil or it seals the dryness in.
3. Choose plants suited to your conditions.Drought-tolerant plants in dry sunny spots need almost no watering once established. Fighting the conditions is what creates a watering burden.
4. Water deeply and infrequently.It encourages deep roots that reach moisture lower down. Frequent light watering keeps roots shallow and permanently dependent.
5. Plant densely so soil is covered.Ground cover and closely spaced planting shades the soil and reduces evaporation. Bare soil between plants loses water continuously.
6. Group plants by water need.Thirsty plants together, drought-tolerant together. Otherwise you water everything at the rate of the thirstiest.
7. Install water butts.Roof water is free and better for plants than treated tap water. Several butts connected together store a useful quantity.
8. Reduce the number of containers.Pots are by far the most water-hungry part of a garden. Fewer, larger ones need less attention than many small ones.

Tips

• Established plants need far less water than new ones. Most watering demand comes from things planted in the last year or two.
• A drip or soaker system on a timer for the beds and pots that genuinely need it removes the daily task and uses less water than a hose.
• Lawns can be left to go brown in drought. They recover within a fortnight of rain and watering them is the least valuable use of water in a garden.

Common mistakes

• Watering little and often — It keeps roots near the surface where they dry out fastest. Deep infrequent watering builds drought resilience.
• Mulching dry soil — It seals the dryness in and keeps rain out. Water thoroughly first, or mulch after rain.
• Choosing plants that do not suit the conditions — They need constant intervention to survive. Matching plants to the site removes the demand rather than managing it.

Questions people ask