Wise Water Use for the Garden–What-You-Can-Do and How-You-Can-Do-It

Water: “A Crisis Beyond Comprehension …” is the title of the Larry Edelson article on 3/05/09 in the Money and Markets Free Investment Email Newsletter (moneyandmarkets.com).

Although the article is a work designed to inform the investor, the excellent background context for the investment advice in very pertinent to the home gardener. Here’s what we mean;

1. The critical shortage of fresh water worldwide is described as the “worst crisis of all time” and is the result of: 1. The global financial and credit crisis, 2. Ongoing world modernization that is increasing water demand and pollution, and 3.Major droughts around the world including the U.S. which is officially in drought over 60% of the country (While not specifically mentioned in the article, many of the world’s hardest hit areas are also the largest food producing countries such as Australia and Argentina).
2. In pulling some specific U.S. water situation information from the article we note that the ground water in the U.S. in being consumed “ … at a rate 25% faster than it is being replenished.” and that currently “…the Western U.S. is experiencing it’s worst drought in 500 years.” and that while agricultural irrigation accounts for 70% of fresh water use it is only 35-50% of that water that “…actually helps grow crops.”

‘Wise Water Use’: Prudent Home concludes: The bottom line is that water is such a critical resource that the home gardener must take the view that wherever one lives, “drought gardening”, with its emphasis on water conservation techniques, is the only reasonable and sustainable approach to home gardening.

What-you-can-do and ’How’: Drought Gardening: We’re going to use as our guideline, a University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science post (pss.uvm.edu/ppp/pubs/oh72drought.htm) that contains about three pages of key information that could generally be applied to almost any location. We recommend that you contact your county extension service and state university for guidelines more specific to your geographic area. Here are some of the keys:

• With the help of your county extension service, state university, and seed catalog, search for plant varieties specific to your geographic area with drought resistance as one of your considerations.
• When watering: water early either manually (our preference), or use soaker hoses or drip systems combined with mulching to reduce water loss.
• Water deeply and less often (we water at least once/day early) noting that “One inch of water will wet a sandy soil to a depth of about 12 inches.
• Save water by using “gray” water from your dishes, washers, beginning shower use, window A/C’s, and dehumidifiers.
• Collect water from gutters and down spouts (rain barrels are best but clean garbage cans or buckets will do) for garden use (watering cans-manual watering- are a natural fit to these collection techniques).
• Mulch 3-4 inches with organic matter, ie. Straw (or dried grass clippings). This helps water retention in soil and leave a 4 inch space around the plant for watering and fertilization. Newspaper works great too with mulch on top. These efforts reduce weeds and the necessity for soil surface disturbance from hoeing and weeding thus aiding in water retention.
• Work organic matter into the soil (compost) to aid in water retention and add nutrients.
• Fertilize with organic fertilizers as they help water retention and soil humus.
• Use natural pesticides, as they’re effective and less stressful to plants, as needed only.

Notice that what we’ve described here are essentially organic and sustainable gardening methods for the home garden. They are the basic basics so learn and do more. Good luck!

Until the end of the week, keep your eyes on the horizon as there’s weather moving in.