What is Waterwise Gardening?
Waterwise gardening means selecting and maintaining plants that can survive long periods without water but it also incorporates many healthy gardening practices including the improvement of soil health, the collection and storage of rainwater, the use of proper maintenance techniques and the selection of suitable plant species to create healthy, beautiful gardens.
7 Steps to Waterwise Gardening
- Map the Site - Look at areas in your garden, which are shady, sunny, wet or dry.
- Make Healthy Soil - Add compost.
- Add Mulch - Mulching (putting a protective layer of organic matter, such as dead leaves, on top of flower beds) retains moisture and helps reduce weeds. Check out Park and Tilford Gardens in North Vancouver for some great examples of mulching, or ask your local garden store professional for details.
- Water Sparingly - Roots that have to search for water grow deeply, which helps them through extended periods of drought. Plants that are adapted to dry summers do not need to be watered during dry weather once their root systems are established.
- Collect Rainwater - Purchase a rain barrel from your local garden or hardware store or make your own. Be sure to include a screen so that mosquitoes cannot access this standing water.
- Select Appropriate Plants - Select plants that prefer acidic soil conditions, resist root rot from persistent winter rains and can tolerate dry summer weather and use native plants where appropriate. Once you have mapped out your garden for shade and sun, wet and dry areas, check with your local nursery for plants that fit each criteria.
- Plant in Layers - Layered vegetation allows a greater amount of rainfall to reach the soil than a single layer, such as lawn. Plant a diversity of groundcovers, shrubs and trees.
Contact us for your free copy of the GVRD's "Waterwise Gardening" brochure.