Saving water is important to the climate-friendly gardener as it is to the environmentalist – whether there is a drought or not. You can conserve water and keep growing in your garden by using the following tips for watering your garden the climate-friendly way.

Pretty much all gardening successes start with using the right soil. You need to build up your soil by testing it and adding to it the nutrients that you need. You’ll want to use a lot of rich compost that you can make yourself.
You also need to add mulch and cover your garden between growing seasons to help reduce evaporation and keep down weeds that also compete for water in your garden. Spend the time necessary to improve your soil before you even start planting.

You can plant your garden in such a way that you can create microclimates. For example, the right plants planted together can create shade for the soil and reduce water evaporation. Put plants together that need similar amounts of water and that produce abundantly, avoiding water hogs like broccoli and cauliflower.
In addition, if you have a particularly hot and sunny area, you can plant trees and shrubs strategically to provide shade and wind blockage, also reducing the need for watering.

Native Americans plant different plants together based on their water needs and the nutrients put into their system. For example, planting legumes to help boost soil nitrogen levels, and corn which acts as a support for the legumes as they grow up. Then you can also plant squash because the bristles on them protect the corn from earworm and act as shade for the soil.

Time planting when it’s not hot and sunny so that your plants can establish a root system prior to the hot and sunny time. When the roots are deeper into the soil, they’re stronger and can fight against drought easier. Plus, it helps to know what stage your plants are in because their water requirements depend on the time it is.
Many gardeners overwater a lot of their crops due to not understanding this. Many vegetables require watering only when they’re flowering or fruiting.

Certain plants use less water than others and will grow better with less water. Look at swiss chard, asparagus, artichoke, chickpeas, lima beans, certain varieties of squash, cantaloupe, peppers, cucumber, sage, oregano, thyme, lavender, rosemary, pineapple tomatoes, and some chilies.

One of the best ways to conserve water is to use a deep root drip irrigation system in your garden. This will encourage roots to develop deep into the soil instead of higher up, which can happen from watering from above. Use the irrigation system to measure and give the plants only the amount of water required to make up for lack of rain.
Watering your garden the climate-friendly way is a win-win for the gardener and the environment, because by setting up your garden correctly from the beginning you cut down on the amount of work you need to do making gardening that much more pleasurable and bountiful. It is better to use watering cans to direct the water to where the plants need it. And rather than watering little and often, which encourages shallow roots, give big, less frequent drinks for deep roots.

Early morning (5:00 to 9:00 am) is the best time to water the garden when using a sprinkler, garden hose, or any other device that wets the plant foliage. When watering is completed, the plant foliage dries quickly. The rapid drying of plant foliage helps guard against the development of fungal diseases. Avoid watering the garden in the evening as this will encourage slugs and snails to come out.

One of the quickest, first signs of overwatering your plants is to observe occurs at the tip of the leaf. If the tip of the leaf is turning brown this is a sign of overwatering. Too little water will result in your plant’s leaves feeling dry and crispy to the touch while too much water results in soft and limp leaves.

Why are plant leaves turning yellow and how you can fix it. Nutritional deficiencies. If your plant lacks enough nitrogen, iron, or magnesium, it can cause the leaves to yellow.

Here’s why morning is the best time of day to water your plants. The best time to water outdoor plants is in the morning when temperatures are usually cooler. This gives the plants time to absorb the water so they can get through a long, hot day. The second-best time is late in the afternoon or early in the evening.

Use water butts or half barrels to collect rainwater. Use children’s old paddling pool water for the garden.