Archive for May 2009

How We Can Reduce Water Consumption In Our Garden

I think in many parts of the world, there are extreme heat waves, droughts and a declining snowpack that is caused by climate change or global warming. This could inadvertently cause a large reduction in our water resources. By reducing water consumption and water supplies for other uses is helpful for gardeners to deal with the drastic climate change happening at the moment.

Well, I can suggest a few things that gardeners can do to conserve water (probably, most of you already knew these):

1. Put mulch in your garden beds – this helps conserve water and moderates the temperatures in the soil. Mulch easily breaks down, and also provides nutrients to the soil, therefore reducing the need for fertilizers. Always try to use organic mulches made from leaves, grass or wood chips.

Wood Chips

Wood Chips

2. Install some rain barrels – rain barrels can collect plenty of rainwater for use during the dry season. Other than saving up water, one obvious reason to collect rainwater is to save money.

rain barrel

A Rain Barrel

3. Adjust watering times or schedule – If you water your garden early in the morning or late in the evening, you can significantly reduce the amount of water that will evaporate away.

4. Use drip irrigation – This method has been proven effective. Installing a drip irrigation system or using soaker hoses are highly efficiently ways to water your garden compared to the normal sprinklers.

Drip Irrigation

Drip Irrigation

5. Practice xeriscaping – this is a technique to landscaping that minimizes outdoor water usage while maintaining soil integrity through the use of native, drought-tolerant plants. Use of mulch is encouraged with this method.

Desert Lavender is a nice xeriscape plant.

The Desert Lavender can be a nice Xeriscape plant.

Hope you enjoyed my tips… and especially these lovely Lavenders.

Nice Moth

black and white moth

Black & White Moth

Found this guy in the house yesterday.. This moth has nice black and white patterns… and a bushy tail too. :)