Best practices for veggie gardeners

There are numerous ways to conserve water in the veggie garden and ensure your plants receive sufficient hydration during the warm spring and summer seasons. 

Start by using these five tips: 

1. Plant densely to conserve water 

By filling every centimetre of soil with plants, water is saved through reduced evaporation, decreased weed growth, and increased water retention in the soil. By planting more than one type of vegetable and herb together, especially choosing companion varieties, plants are healthier and require less water to produce more. 

2. Remove weeds 

Weeds are a problem because they compete with your crop yielding plants for nutrients, including water resources. By keeping up with weeding or following a polyculture plan in Step 1, you are effectively saving water. 

3. Use mulch 

Mulches are well known for conserving moisture in the soil, allowing watering times to be further apart. Mulches are also very good for weed control. The best choices for vegetable gardens are organic mulches, such as straw, bark chips, thin lawn trimmings, and compost, which also add nutrition to the soil. A healthy soil is a soil that conserves water, too. 

4. Water the soil  

How you water and when is one of the easiest ways to conserve water. Plants move water and nutrients via their roots to other parts of the plant using capillary action. It stands to reason, then, that when watering, you get the water as close to the roots as possible so that nothing is wasted. This means watering at the soil level. When it comes to timing, watering in the early mornings or even in the evenings can also save water because it is not lost to evaporation during the heat of the day. 

5. Plant thirsty varieties in pots 

Zoning your plants to save water is well known, but you can also plant thirsty vegetables and herbs in pots for easy direct watering. Vegetables that need more water than most include leafy greens like lettuce and spinach, which will bolt if not properly hydrated, and root vegetables such as carrots and beetroot, which can crack without enough water. Those veggies with a high water content, such as cucumbers and melons, also require plenty of water and grow well in large pots or even in hanging baskets. For an added saving, water-retaining crystals can be used to great effect to hold water and release it to the plants over time.