Water Sensitive Ways to Grow Your Garden

As awareness of global water shortages grows, gardeners are paying more attention to sustainability at home.

While people who live in desert climates and areas with frequent fights over water rights may be used to monitoring their water use, conservation concerns are becoming more widespread throughout the U.S. The World Economic Forum lists natural resource shortages, including water shortages, as the fourth biggest risk facing the world over the next decade.

Almost the entire U.S. Southwest, including states such as California, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, faces extreme water stress issues by 2030, according to a report by BlackRock. While many people are already addressing water shortages with their home-related choices, doing so is not yet mainstream. 

Consumers can take steps to address water shortages in their own backyards in multiple ways–the simplest is to stop using your hose to wash down walkways and driveways. A broom will be just as effective and far more water sensitive. Gardeners can also focus on xeriscaping with slow-growing, drought tolerant plants to conserve water rather than design fantasy garden beds with water guzzling flowers and shrubs that require special chemicals to keep blooming.

Three Ways to Conserve Water in Your Garden

Adopting careful watering and planting practices can reduce water waste in your garden without leaving your plants wilted and thirsty.

1. Reusable water sources.

Recycling rainwater and greywater, which is relatively clean water that has been used to shower, wash dishes or clothes, can seem like a simple solution to conserve water. However, rainwater is the easier and less costly of these two options.

“Rainwater harvesting is when you capture falling rain in a storage basin, which is then used similarly to well water,” says Angie Hicks, Indianapolis-based founder of Angie’s list, now Angi, a consumer review and information site for home maintenance and improvement. “This storage basin, aka the ‘rain barrel,’ connects to your gutter through your downspout or a specifically installed pipe.”

Using rainwater can save money, is generally easy to maintain, helps to preserve the environment, and gives you an independent water supply, Hicks says. Your climate–particularly how much rain you get– will affect how much water you can collect.

Depending on the configuration of your garden capturing rainwater can be a simple and inexpensive process. You’ll just need gutters or a downspout to direct water into a rain barrel. The barrel needs a lid to protect pets and children, as well as to keep debris from clogging the bottom of the barrel. To use the water from the barrel for your garden, you’ll need a hose or a spigot to fill watering cans or to use directly on your plants.

Some states have restrictions on the use of rainwater and others have incentives for homeowners to collect and use it. It’s smart to find out your local regulations before beginning to collect rainwater.

Greywater can be more complex and costly to use in your garden. According to Hicks, it can be an unreliable source of water, it can cost on average $2,500 to install and it may be hard to store unused water. Greywater should be used within 24 hours and is not safe for humans and animals to drink because it can harbor bacteria.

“In my experience, greywater systems tend to be better suited for multifamily and small commercial development,” says Jordan Clough, a principal of Richardson & Associates Landscape Architecture in Washington, D.C. “The cost of separating, screening and otherwise managing the greywater is most effective when it's done at scale. The typical residential home barely produces enough greywater to be useful as an irrigation source.”

2. Smart sprinkling systems.

There are several options for watering your lawn or garden without waste. “In the Washington, D.C. area, drip irrigation is now the standard for planting beds,” Clough says. “This delivers water under the mulch layer, right to the most important roots, while minimizing evaporation loss. While spray heads are still common for lawn areas, around the DC region I advise clients that lawn irrigation is entirely optional if you are ok with the lawn going dormant during the hottest few weeks of the summer and you are not on really bad soil.”

Hicks recommends seeding your lawn during the right time of year to take advantage of natural rainfall, Hicks says.

“Start to pay close attention to your local weather forecasts and do some research on the type of grass you’re planning to use to find the optimal time to do your seeding,” she says. “Then, if you have a smaller yard or garden, you might consider a drip irrigation system. Drip systems connect the roots of plants with tubes or hoses so that water can be sent directly to them; they are extremely efficient for watering plants.”

However, for a larger lawn, Hicks suggests that homeowners might prefer a soaker hose.

“Soaker hoses bear a closer resemblance to bungee cords than your typical garden hose, with holes poked in it like a flute,” she says. “This system is much more efficient than a traditional sprinkler system.”

Programmable automated sprinkler systems are convenient, but they tend to waste water when they operate even on a rainy day. Another option that may save as much as 30% to 50% of water is a smart sprinkler system such as the Moen Smart Irrigation System. With soil sensors and a zoned smart sprinkler controller, it’s possible to target water only when and where it is needed.

3. Moisture retention options.

“Mulch will retain more moisture after being watered than soil alone because it soaks up the water and hangs onto moisture longer than plain soil,” she says.

“There are many different types of mulch options available and it’s worth a visit to your local gardening store or having a conversation with your landscaping pro to determine what will work best for your yard.”

Clough recommends shredded hardwood mulch.

“It mimics the natural conditions many garden shrubs and perennials prefer—a forest understory with wood in various states of decomposition, slowly becoming soil itself,” he says. “Hardwood mulch does an excellent job of retaining moisture beneath the surface, acts as a very slow releasing fertilizer and allows ample air flow to the roots.”

Clough recommends befriending a local tree removal service to ask them for their chipped tree limbs.

“They're usually happy to give them away, and it keeps them out of the landfill,” he says. “Freshly chipped wood tends to be a lighter color than bagged mulch, but if you are ok with that look, it's a great way to go.” 

One last recommendation: avoid plastic weed barriers.

“We don’t recommend plastic weed barriers, as they tend to create lots of problems with time—limiting air and water exchange between the soil and the air, breaking down into the soil, creating problems with rot, and ultimately weeds will just take root on top of them,” Clough says. “In short, they are not good for the environment and only suppress weeds for a short time before they fail.”

Publisher’s Note: This content is made possible by our Today’s Homeowner Campaign Sponsors: Whirlpool Corporation. Whirlpool Corporation takes sustainability seriously, in both their products and their operations. Learn more about building and buying homes that are more affordable and less resource intensive.