Do you often feel hot in the summer? Well, you're not the only one who suffers from it. Animals, such as insects and amphibians, as well as plants in our back gardens, have a hard time in summer. And it's only going to get worse, because yes… something to do with climate change. Animals long for more water in the summer and you can help with that! More watering to help them? Hmm, that's not really a sustainable solution either, being sparing with water is the advice after all. How can you then deal with drought in the garden in a sustainable way and give the animals a bit of relief?
Drought in the garden
Per year we water our garden on average with some eleven hundred litres of drinking water, which is equivalent to 27 five-minute showers. Phew, that is quite a lot. Especially when you consider that clean drinking water is scarce. Indoors you reduce your water usage by taking fewer or no baths, to shower for a shorter time or to use the eco-mode or a water-saving showerhead in the shower. Saving water, in a garden that is crying out for water in the summer, is quite a challenge after all. But in your garden, too, you can save a fair few litres of drinking water and limit the effects of drought, while continuing to take good care of the animals and plants at the same time. Tips? Here they come!
Fewer tiles in the garden ensure cooling
Those tiles of ‘your low-maintenance’ garden attract huge amounts of water. At thegreenlist.nl we're not really fans of those paved gardens. They are disastrous for biodiversity and above all: uninviting and not green. But now an extra reason is being added to this: it's too warm. So dealing with drought already starts with the (re)design of your garden. Go for as much greenery as possible and as few stones as possible. If you have less paving and therefore more greenery in your garden, rainwater can be absorbed better. In addition, planting has a cooling effect. Did you know that in paved gardens it gets up to 7°C warmer than in gardens with planting? So come on, get to work! Those tiles can come out! Milieu Centraal has handy tips for green garden design.
Adapt planting to drought
Heading to the garden centre on the off chance to get a few nice garden plants is not a good idea. Make a plan and choose plants that suit your garden. What suits your garden depends on the soil (do you have clay, sand, peat, loess or something else?) and how the sun falls on your garden. Some plants are suitable for sunny gardens, whilst other plants thrive better in shade or partial shade. Plants that are in the right spot are more resistant to dry spells and therefore less likely to need extra water. Make sure you choose plants that fit your garden, and get proper advice if you find that difficult. Tiplook for native plants or ask your gardener to make a plan with as many species as possible that naturally occur here. That is good for biodiversity. After all, many insects and other animals are entirely adapted to these plants. They find food and a place to shelter there. That is often a great deal more use to them than an exotic plant. Read more about native plants and why they are so good!
Furthermore, it is extremely important to choose organic – and therefore bee-friendly – plants. Why seems obvious to us, but here you will learn more about non-toxic plants.
Reduce evaporation with more plants
It goes without saying that plants are important for animals and insects. They provide food and a place to shelter. But there is yet another good reason to keep your garden nice and green: plants protect the soil against drying out. And that is important, because the longer you retain moisture in the soil, the better your garden is able to withstand warm and dry periods and the less often you need to water. Bare soil lies fully in the sun and therefore loses moisture more quickly. Plants provide shade for the soil and also provide cooling by absorbing water and evaporating water again through their leaves. You can feel that difference immediately on a warm day when you step out of the tiles and into the greenery with bare feet. And there is another advantage: the roots help rainwater to sink better into the soil. In this way, the water remains available for your plants for longer and does not immediately wash away during a heavy downpour.
Reduce evaporation with a mulch layer
You can also reduce evaporation by applying a mulch layer. Mulching is covering the soil with organic material such as straw, hay, wood chips, leaves and grass clippings. A mulch layer slows down air circulation and therefore evaporation. You can also spread freshly cut grass in your borders or chopped or shredded wood. You cover the exposed soil between your plants with these various materials. This protects against the cold and provides nutrients to the soil and plants. It stops weeds and you recycle your garden waste. So it has loads of benefits. And during warm, dry periods, a good mulch layer keeps your soil moist and you hardly need to water. If you find this too much trouble or unappealing, a thick layer of wood chips or sustainable peach stones is a good alternative. There is much more to be told about mulching, see article here: mulching for beginners.
Also good to know is that small insects or their eggs can overwinter in hollow plant stems that you leave behind when mulching. This way, you ensure that the ladybirds are already on the spot in spring to combat the aphids. So just leave everything where it is!
Storing rainwater
During a drought, the tap is easily turned on. By storing rainwater yourself, you can limit the amount of tap water that goes into the garden. You can a rain barrel ask for your birthday or go even further by harvesting rainwater by disconnecting your downpipes and connecting them to a water butt or larger tank. Also check with your local council, as you may be able to get grant get for it.
A mulch layer is organic material that keeps the soil moister in times of drought.
Watering the garden during a drought
When you provide a variety of planting in the right place (so no shade plants in the sun and vice versa), the soil is loose and has a good layer of mulch, you will probably only need to water very little extra. The basis is therefore looking after the soil well. If you want to test whether your plants need water, dig a hole five to ten centimetres deep. If it is still damp there, you do not need to water. Another option: look at your plants! If they are drooping in the morning, then it is time to water. If they are drooping in the evening, that does not matter. That often recovers again during the night.
Best time to water garden plants during a drought
Should you still need to water the garden, the morning is the best time to do it. In the middle of the day far too much evaporates due to the heat, which is a great waste of all that water. Too late in the evening is also not preferred, as the plants then go into the night wet. This increases the risk of mould formation and can attract snails. The best time to sprinkle is on a cloudy morning with little to no wind. Furthermore, the advice is to water thoroughly once a week rather than briefly every other day. If you water frequently, the plants become ‘lazy’. The roots then stay too much near the surface, because that is where the water always ends up. If a dry period subsequently arrives, the plants dry out much sooner because they are accustomed to a lot of water.
Water-saving tips and extra warning during drought
Make sure you don't leave your garden hose lying in full sun, especially in the summer. Legionella can grow in standing, heated water, and the water in the hose can also become so hot that it causes burns, particularly in small children. And another handy water-saving tip: catch the cold water that comes out of the shower before it is warm and use it to water the plants.
Besides plants, animals also need water. For this, also check out this article: This is how you provide more water in the garden for animals.
Watering less? Let your grass grow longer
Finally, there is one type of greenery that is much more sensitive to drought than others: the lawn. Grass draws a lot of moisture from the top layer of the soil. If you let the grass grow a bit taller, the roots can grow deeper into the ground, making the grass more resistant to drought. Furthermore, grass can take quite a beating and actually becomes stronger if you water it less often. A lawn is basically a boring plant if you ask us and also has hardly any added value for biodiversity. Often, all kinds of interventions are needed to keep the lawn neat, such as scarifying, fertilising and adding lime. And heaven forbid the grass is greener on the other side, so a lot of watering and weeding goes on. Where does this obsession actually come from? Our advice: relax and go for a herb-rich grassland. Lovely with all kinds of flowers, more resistant to drought and you no longer have to worry so much about weeds.
How to make your garden more drought resistant
A drought-resilient garden therefore does not start with more frequent watering, but primarily with smart design. Fewer paving stones, more greenery, plants in the right place, a healthy soil and a good layer of mulch ensure that rainwater is absorbed better and the ground dries out less quickly. And do you still need to water? Do so smartly and preferably with collected rainwater. This is how you help your garden and the animals that live there through dry spells, without using an unnecessary amount of drinking water. And the good news? A drought-resistant garden often means doing less: less watering, less mowing and less clearing up. That should be achievable, right?
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- What? Organic potting soil and garden soil don't exist!
- Blue-green algae How does it arise and what should you do if you suddenly swim in it?
- A cool house without air conditioning: take a quick look at the tips.
Sources: natuurpunt.be, Milieu Centraal, Climate adaptation Netherlands, Climate adaptation Netherlands, book: Long live the soil! A healthy foundation for every garden, podcast #27 from Gardening Quarterly. Photo credits: Angela de Vlaming (main image), other: Amanda Sniekers.
