Gardening During a Drought: How to Sprinkle Water Wisely

Gardening During a Drought: How to Sprinkle Water Wisely

So you're in the midst of the greatest drought in living memory, and your garden inhabitants are beginning to droop, flag, and wilt. Which plants should be watered first, and which should get the majority of the water? You start to feel like the head of a third-world nation attempting to stretch your country's little budget among healthcare, defense, and education. Never worry, I'll calm your fears with some drought wisdom.

The first to acquire H2O

If water is available, recent plants are prioritized for frequent watering. New plants, such as bare-root trees or shrubs planted the previous autumn/winter, as well as newly planted perennials, are particularly vulnerable to drought damage. You can see that these young plants haven't had much time to develop water-seeking roots, which go deep and wide in search of moisture.

As a result, we need to replenish the plants' natural water supply. Recent plantings of annual bedding summer bedding such as marigolds, impatiens, Nicotiana, and others should be considered likely victims of the water battle during a hosepipe restriction. I'm concerned that if I had a restricted amount of water to distribute between a Japanese maple and some annual bedding, the maple would get the lion's share and the bedding would be ignored.

As a general rule, water when the soil 5cm (2 inches) below the ground surface is dry. Once established, the following plants may withstand a brief period of drought. Brachyglottis, Corokia, Gleditsia, Halimiocistus, and Hippophae are a few examples.

Drought-resistant container plants

Containerized plants, hanging baskets, and window boxes are next in line for water. A containerised plant is growing above the ground water table, with just the soil within the container providing the necessary moisture. If the moisture is not contained inside the container, the roots will have nowhere to go to fulfill the plants' hunger.

Again, if the compost 5cm (2 inches) below the surface of the pots is dry, it is time to water; it is up to the gardener to deliver that water as needed. Provide a catch plate or tray underneath pots to capture any surplus water that will ultimately be absorbed by the compost.

Be mindful that terracotta and other porous container materials absorb a significant amount of water, which the plant cannot then reach. The following is a short list of container bedding plants that, once established, may withstand a brief period of drought. Arctotis, Lantana, Plectranthus, Portulaca, and Zinnia are a few examples.

Fruit and vegetables during a dry period

Water-loving veggies including tomatoes, peas, onions, cucumbers, marrows, and lettuce need plenty of water. Inadequate water supply will result in tiny, shriveled, and limp specimens. Fruiting plants like strawberries, raspberries, currants, apple and pear trees need a lot of moisture, particularly while their fruit is developing.

The next time you eat a strawberry or a pear, take note of how much water is contained inside them. Fruits and vegetables have water content numbers ranging from 70 to 90%; regardless of whatever figure is right, you must give that water during a drought. During a drought, plants growing in exposed or wind-swept areas will demand a significant amount of additional water.

Have you ever gone for a brisk walk on a windy day, returned home, smiled at your husband, children, or pet, and discovered that your lips are cracked and chapped? This demonstrates the harsh drying part of a strong wind; plant leaves are continually dried off and then remoistened by water from the soil when available. If that water is not available during a drought, the leaves will dry out, shrivel, and shed. This is referred to as foliar desiccation. Watering thoroughly will keep this from occurring.

Shallow rooters and moisture enthusiasts

Shrubs and trees with weak roots or a preference for damp soils are particularly vulnerable during a drought. Rhododendron, Azalea, Heather (Erica), Hydrangea, and Birch are among the shallow-rooted plants (Betula). Hosta, Ferns, Helleborus, Sarcococca, Fatsia, and Camellia are among the moisture-loving plants. Please provide some water for these plants if it is available.

Climbers and wall-shrubs planted near house walls will struggle for moisture even in the best of conditions, owing mostly to the rain-shadow created by the house itself. Remember to water these wall huggers. The following is a small list of climbers who, once established, can withstand a brief period of drought. Clematis Montana, Fallopia, Jasminum, Trachelospermum, and Vitis are a few examples.

Lawns in the midst of a hosepipe ban

The grass is the first element of the garden that people tend to water during a drought. This is most likely due to the fact that lawns make up a large portion of most gardens, and these lawns tend to appear burned sooner than many plants. The grass, on the other hand, would be the last plant life in my garden to get any rationed water.

Lawns are more robust than you may imagine; a green lawn that becomes brown due to a lack of water can ultimately recover after a few strong rain storms. The burned area is the foliage above ground; the roots below ground will remain dormant until the dry weather passes. Of course, lawns made entirely of fine grass will be severely harmed by extended dry weather, but if your lawn is seeded with a utility seed mix, you should be alright (No. 2 or Manhattan mix).

How to use water in a drought (if water is available)

Sprinklers, I believe, are a waste of accessible, though rationed, water; instead, I would prefer hand watering or seep watering. Hand watering involves directing your watering can or hose to the base of your selected plant and deeply watering it at a rate of around 10 litres per metre squared. Watering sparingly stimulates surface roots, which is easily destroyed, and will do more harm than good.

Water applied directly to many dry soils will tend to flow off over the soil's surface and away from the plant's base; if this occurs, use the following approach. Sink a two-litre container filled with gravel at the foot of the plant, carefully water into this pot, and you will have no run-off issues. Seep watering, also known as drip irrigation, is an efficient and cost-effective method of delivering much-needed moisture straight to the soil.

Most well-stocked garden centres will offer seep hose or porous tubing for weaving between plants in your beds and borders. When connected to a water source, this seep hose will gently leak water through tiny holes throughout the length of the pipe. It's really straightforward and efficient.