It's time to water

After a dry spring, Ruth shows how to maximise water It’s time to water

- Ruth Hayes

AT the time of writing (mid-April), this spring has been a tough one for the garden. Not only has it been unseasonably cold even here on the south coast, it has been worryingly dry with no rainfall of substance for several weeks.

We have already emptied one water butt and are starting to save grey water and recycle not-too-contaminated washing up water, which is unprecedented at this time of year.

The last few springs have been very dry, though not as cold as this one, and if this pattern continues we will need to start thinking more carefully about how we save and store water, and how carefully we use it. Millions of gallons are already lost each year through cracked and leaking pipes.

On these pages I’m going to look at ways of reusing and recycling water (which is less revolting than it sounds!), what to prioritise around the garden, and I’m going to introduce you to one of the newest remote controlled watering systems, which I will be trying out through the summer.

The first thing to look at is how and when to water – it may sound foolishly simple, but to optimise water supplies you need to get this right.