#FREQUENTLY_ASKED_QUESTIONS

[ramestoryworld]

Organic gardens are as good for the earth as they are for its lucky inhabitants. The secret to growing a healthy, lush garden all begins with a single seed. This guide covers all the basics for starting seeds so that you can revel in your gardening wizardry this spring. Are you planning to start a garden this year? Congratulations! It’s a big deal! Whether you are a seasoned gardener or a beginner, growing a garden is good for everybody. It feeds the soul and the soil and can even feed your family. Starting a garden off right with healthy seeds sets the roots for how the garden will grow for the rest of the year. Sure, you can help manage sick plants and dried-out leaves, but starting seeds with good intentions and mad skills will make the rest of the year’s jobs a whole lot easier. Some of you may think I’m crazy, but I believe that how you care for seedlings will be reflected in the plant that grows and the fruit that ripens. The garden is resting now. Perhaps even covered by a blanket of snow. Now, there is ample time to slow down, plan, and nurture the very best plants to grace your garden beds. Let’s get this gardening season started with this guide on starting seeds. Experienced gardeners can save the seeds from their plants to use the next year. The 10 Steps for Starting Seeds “I made this!” I gloat while serving up a dish made entirely of food that I grew in my garden. Well, “gloat” is probably not the right word. I prance around like the fantastical wizard I am, cheering about my mad skills in making real food from tiny seeds. It took me months. I had some fatalities. But overall, it’s fairly simple to grow from seeds. And more importantly, it’s awesome. Here are some basics for how to start seeds at home. Make sure to label your seeds so you know exactly what they all are. Trust me, you will forget. 1. Choose Your Seeds Starting seeds in the spring (or even winter) is one of the best ways to save money. While you could buy a pack of snapdragons at the garden centre to fill your containers, why not start them from seed at a fraction of the price? You also get way more varieties when you go the seed route. This list covers my favourite annual flowers to grow from seed, while this list covers some of my go-to perennial flowers. Keep in mind that starting perennials from seed is often more difficult and time-consuming, so it is better suited for those with a few gardening seasons under their belt. Seed companies in your area should sell the right seeds for your climate but do make sure that you pick the right plants for your experience level. If you’re a seedling yourself when it comes to propagation, don’t bother starting watermelons in Northern Ontario. Many seed companies will also list a difficulty rating that will help to guide you. You might even be able to find some seeds in a seed library. 2. Read the Packet If you want the best possible start for your seeds, your best bet is to read the packet. Most seed packets will list everything you need to know to start the seeds and their special requirements, like how deep to plant the seed, how much light they need, how long they’ll take to germinate, soil temperatures required, etc. I cover all the basics of reading a seed packet in this post if you want to ensure you’re buying the right seeds and those that will actually thrive in your garden. 3. Choose a Container You can start seeds in just about anything you can find around the house that will create a mini-greenhouse, or you can buy all sorts of interesting setups to best suit your needs. Greenhouse Kits Many different greenhouse kits are available now. Most will have a plastic tray with a clear plastic greenhouse dome. Some come with a soilless mixture for starting seeds, like peat pellets that expand to a mini seed pot when soaked in water. Others may have coconut fibre pots that you can transplant right along with your seedling. Others may even have a heat mat that gently warms soil to improve germination. The beauty of these kits is that you can start a large number of seeds individually in one tray (up to 72) and many are made for small spaces like windowsills. The drawback is that the seedlings will need to be replanted, either in the garden or a larger pot, in a few weeks. Leaving seedlings in small pots with no nutrition will cause unwanted stress to the plants. Seed Starting Trays Garden retailers will sell many different types of professional-grade seed-starting trays, domes, and inserts with features like root training, moisture control, automatic watering, and grow lights. Certainly, many of these features have value in starting the year’s plants off on the right foot and can be used over and over. Household Items An inexpensive and creative way to start seeds is to use household items as seed containers. Lining a seed tray with pots made from toilet paper tubes, newspaper, or egg cartons will cost nothing At times, your family may think you’ve gone mad, given how excited you will become when you get to take home the plastic cake dome from the party. But come on, that’ll make a really great greenhouse dome, right? Search for biodegradable paper products you can plant right in the ground or food-safe plastic containers that you can use as mini-greenhouses for your containers if you are on a budget. Paper egg cartons are one of my favourite inexpensive household items to use as a seed starting container. 4. Growing Medium You can buy a pre-made seed starter soil, or you can make your own with a mix. I make my own mix using a peat-moss alternative, sterilized compost, perlite, and vermiculite. This mixture is light and holds moisture well, so it is wonderful for helping seeds germinate. All growing mediums will need some time to absorb water, so add moisture and let it soak in for an hour before planting. Be sure to use a sterile mix if you are starting seeds indoors. Soil or compost from the garden will bring in all sorts of critters, like soil gnats, which will drive you freakin’ crazy as you run around your propagation trays like a mad person swatting and squashing an endless supply of teeny tiny flies. Seed starting mix needs to be sterile. 5. Water Your Seeds Germination will be best in a moist environment for most seeds, so keeping the soil damp and a greenhouse dome on top will keep the right amount of humidity for optimal germination. Keep the soil from drying out by checking it daily. Water gently, from the bottom where possible, so as to not damage the seedlings about to emerge. When learning how to start seeds, having just the right amount of water is important. You never want the seeds to dry out, nor do you want the soil to be soggy. Make sure to vent your container regularly to prevent fungal growth. 6. Get the Right Lighting Seeds won’t need light until they emerge from the surface of the soil, but then they will need strong sunlight for most of the day to prevent them from becoming leggy (overly tall and spindly = weak). You can supplement a lack of sunlight with fluorescent lighting, either by buying a set of grow lights made for seed starting or by making your own with fluorescent shop lights. You don’t need fancy lights to help your plants grow. This was my DIY set-up! 7. Treat Damping Off “Damping off” is a term for a fungal growth that looks like fuzzy hairs on the seedling stem. This fungal growth will kill the seedling, so it’s bad, really bad. To prevent damping off, occasionally spray the greenhouse dome with a bottle of 3% food-grade hydrogen peroxide and vent it on a regular basis to regulate humidity. I also recommend watering with my chamomile fungicide spray. Chamomile naturally prevents diseases such as damping off. It’s almost impossible to get rid of damping off, so prevention is best. 8. Thin Your Seedlings Generally, the seed instructions will suggest that you plant 2-3 seeds per pot and thin out all but the strongest. This seems to be the thing that some gardeners have the hardest time with. If three strong tomato seedlings have popped up in one tiny peat pot, then the gardener rushes off to get tweezers to separate out the three wee plants and re-pots them all. More inexperienced gardeners will damage each plant, giving none a strong chance at survival, so it’s best that you grab a clean pair of scissors, snip all but the strongest seedling in each pot and be done with it. Choose the strongest seeding and snip any remaining seedlings in the same container. 9. Hardening Off As the seedlings grow into plants and the date to plant outside gets near, it’s time to start hardening them off or toughening them for their natural environment. I like to start by opening a window a few hours a day so they get a breeze. Then, start moving the trays outside, out of direct sunlight, for a few hours. Start at one hour and gradually increase to a full day outside. By the time your plant date has arrived, you can safely transfer your tough little soldiers directly into the ground, with some delicious compost and a thorough watering, to brave the elements on their own. Seedlings are used to indoor conditions, so make sure to gradually transition them to outside. 10. Set Your Expectations Starting seeds is such an interesting and magical process, especially for children, so it’s the perfect activity to do as a family this coming spring. The months that you’ve spent germinating and raising seedlings will be a series of trial and error, so expect some loss. Not every seed will germinate, not every seedling will survive being transplanted, and not every kind of plant will do well in your garden. The gains will be clear when you have piles of leafy greens taking up every inch of your windowsills, bursting to get outside. Starting the plants off yourself ensures that you are in charge of the health of the plant and can control what goes into it. And the satisfaction you’ll feel from starting your own seeds is tremendous. My kiddo loves starting seeds with me and planting them in the garden. FAQ About Starting Seeds Should you cover seeds with plastic? Yes. This helps to keep the moisture in and increase temperatures. It essentially acts as a mini greenhouse.Cover your seeds with a clear plastic container (I like salad boxes) right after you’ve planted and watered your plants. Every day, vent the dome and clean it with food-grade hydrogen peroxide to prevent damping off. Leave the dome on until the seedlings reach it. Do seedlings need sunlight to survive? Yes. Seeds don’t need sunlight until they’ve germinated (sprouted above the soil). Prior to this, the seed carries all the energy the plant will need to sprout. But once it has germinated, the seedling will need lots of sunlight to grow well. Otherwise, they get leggy and weak trying to reach for more sun.Consider using a grow light if you can’t get enough sunlight in a windowsill for your seedlings. More Tips for How to Care for Seedlings   Source link

[tameblog]

If you’re interested in environmentally friendly gardening, you’re probably familiar with a countertop composter. Whether it be on social media or on the shelves of gardening stores, they seem to be all the rage right now. I’ve been testing out one for the past month to see if they are worth the hype and if you should try one, too.  I’m always looking for ways to reduce my food waste while supporting my garden. So, I was intrigued when I started seeing countertop composters popping up everywhere. They promised quick composting with minimal effort (and odour).  I typically use a combination of a worm bin and a backyard bin for composting, and they have served me well. I’m a passionate composter, that’s for sure. I won’t deny that I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to these electric composters. But I’m excited to give it a try and see how it fits into my current composting routine. I’ve been using mine for almost two months, and I’m ready to share my thoughts. This post will focus on the Vego Kitchen Composter, but if you’re considering another brand, a lot of the information will still apply.  I was sent this product by Vego; however, this post is not sponsored, and the opinions I’ll be sharing are my own. So, if you’re wondering if an electric composter would be a good addition to your kitchen, here are my honest thoughts on using one. What is a Countertop Composter? A kitchen composter is a compost machine that turns kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich dirt that can be used for houseplants or in your garden. They’re advertised as a quick and easy way to deal with food waste and fertilize your plants. Theoretically, you can break down your scraps in just hours, as opposed to weeks and months. These appliances use heat to dehydrate food scraps, then grind the material into a fine compost that can be used in your garden.  Using My Vego Kitchen Composter One of the things I like about the Vego Kitchen Composter is that it has four different settings. The main difference is how long each of these modes take to process your kitchen scraps, but the end result also varies slightly. Grass mode has the longest cycle (11-24 hours) and it grinds the compost more than the other settings. Vego mode takes 9-24 hours and is meant to preserve more of the microorganisms in the compost to provide the most nutrient-rich dirt.  The fertilize setting on the other hand produces semi-composted material in 9-22 hours, and express mode dries the material rather than fully composting it, taking just 2-8 hours.   I’m still experimenting with these different modes, but I’ve mostly been using the express mode. Regardless of which setting I have it on, the machine does a great job of breaking down green waste from my kitchen and reducing the amount of waste that I have to deal with.  One thing to keep in mind is that not everything that goes in your green bin can be processed in an electric composter. For example, fat and bones from meat still have to go in my regular compost bin, but the nice thing is that it doesn’t fill up as quickly.  I’ve started keeping other scraps in a separate glass container on my counter, then transferring them to my Vego, which I keep downstairs.  I’ve been using my resulting compost in containers because I find it easy to dump in and do some spot composting. In my eyes, the kitchen composter is completing the first step of composting, which is breaking down the material into smaller bits, and the rest will come in the soil itself. Using the Compost on Houseplants If you have a small space and want to break down some kitchen waste, this will help you get some organic matter that’s broken down in a way that won’t smell if you use it in your houseplants. With any compost, it’s hard to know the exact composition of it. But in my books, adding organic material to your plants is never a bad thing. You do want to take some consideration with your houseplants, though. The soil in houseplants doesn’t have the same level of microorganisms in it to really break down that material effectively. So you want compost that’s really plant-available. For this reason, I think the compost from a countertop composter is better used for outside plants. But I’m going to continue to try it on my houseplants and see how it does. Benefits of a Kitchen Composter If you’re looking for a fast and simple way to compost your kitchen scraps, a countertop composter like the Vego one is definitely an effective solution. These appliances are easy to use and much faster than other composting methods. The Vego one breaks down scraps in under 24 hours. It would also be a good option for someone in an apartment or without a full yard. I’ve been keeping mine downstairs because of the odour, but if you have a sheltered spot outdoors, that would probably be ideal. A built-in spot under your kitchen sink would also work well as long as it’s ventilated.  I think it’s important to mention that not everyone can compost outside. Whether you live in an apartment or a basement suite, or perhaps you have a pest problem outside, a kitchen composter could make it attainable for you to compost. As someone with a disability, I also find that my regular compost bins can be a lot of work. While many people think composting is just dumping scraps in a pile, there’s a lot more to it. You have to monitor what you’re adding, ensuring it’s getting air and is turned, and follow the right compost recipe. I don’t always have the energy and capabilities to do this, and even my smaller worm bin can be energy-zapping, especially when it’s time to harvest the worm castings. But with this electric composter, you can do everything with the click of a button, and then you have it all ready to just dump in your nearest gardening container. Cons of a Kitchen Composter To me, the main con when it comes to a compost machine, as opposed to more traditional compost methods, is the price. Although they do the job, these appliances are quite costly, so it may not be worth it for everyone.  The other downside is, of course, the smell. My machine has a carbon filter that helps with odours, but at the end of the day it can still stink, especially on the Vego mode. I found that the best way to avoid odours was to use express mode.  Originally, I had the container in my downstairs studio space. Now, I’ve moved it outside the door and under my covered deck. If you have a balcony or something similar, putting it outside where you’ve got an outlet and it’s covered may be a better solution than keeping it inside. Then, you don’t have to worry about the smell. Because honestly, it can be strong depending on what you put in it. I also find that it can be a little bit loud. I wouldn’t want it running in my kitchen because I find  there are already so many noises. The oven is loud, the fridge noise, and an ice maker clangs regularly. Adding another appliance that is constantly running will just create more noise pollution in the house and I would prefer to prevent what I can. When I posted about the composter on Instagram, one comment was very against the idea of the composters because of the environmental implications of making it in the first place and then running it to get compost. The comment went on to say that there are other small-scale compost operations that are all-natural. While I do think there is some merit to this, I also think that not everyone can easily make or use their own composting bin, whether that’s due to space or accessibility or something else entirely. But I do think the comment is worth talking about as well. Final Thoughts on Countertop Composters Overall, countertop composters can be an effective alternative to other composting methods for those who have struggled to maintain a compost bin or who have limited space. As I mentioned, they would work especially well for someone living in an apartment. Although I would only suggest it if you have an outdoor space like a deck where you can store the machine to keep odours out of your home.  Personally, I will continue to use my countertop composter for small food scraps and as an easy addition to my garden. However, it won’t replace my other composting methods, and I’ll continue to use my worm and outdoor bins as well.  If you’re interested in getting a Vego Kitchen Composter for yourself, you can use my discount code to get an extra 10% off! And yes, you can stack it on top of some other sales. Use the code GARDEN_THERAPY10OFF at checkout. Frequently Asked Questions About Electric Composters Does the composter have live bacteria in it to decompose the kitchen scraps or does it simply chop, dehumidify, and mix the material? The Vego countertop composter has multiple modes. The fertilize, grass, and Vego settings do decompose scraps. You can also add acceleration tablets, which contain microorganisms, to help stimulate decomposition. The express mode uses heat to dehydrate the material, rather than decomposing it. However, there is still value in adding this organic matter to your garden. The smaller pieces of organic matter will break down more once they are in the soil.I’m still experimenting in terms of what kind of compost it makes, because without a doubt it’s different than what you might make in your own compost bin. But that doesn’t mean it’s not still valuable organic material. Is there a cheaper alternative to a compost machine? Worm bins are an excellent choice if you’re looking for a more affordable solution! They don’t take up much space and they use (aka worms eat) the same types of scraps that you would put in an electric composter.As I’ve mentioned, this is only one of the many different electric composters out there. If you are using one yourself, especially from a different brand, I’d love to hear some of your thoughts. Let’s dive deeper into the pros and cons of using these things. Another great small space solution is having a worm bin and vermicomposting. As I’ve mentioned, this is only one of the many different electric composters out there. If you are using one yourself, especially from a different brand, I’d love to hear some of your thoughts. Let’s dive deeper into the pros and cons of using these things. More Ways to Compost Source link

[alexha2210]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[angusstory]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[tumibaba]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[romaleen]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[monaleen101]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[iamownerofme]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[shelyold]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[tameblog]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[iammeandmy]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[januishstory]

Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.  In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.  Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.  For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.  Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.  Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.  Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems. Principles of Efficient Water Use Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.  Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.  Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible. Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.  Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use. 7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.  These are a few strategies to get you started. 1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.  If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out. I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below. 2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.  The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.  Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.  Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants. 3. Capture and Store Rainwater One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months. Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.  An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.  You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption. 4. Redirect Drain spouts Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.  Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.  Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.  Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection. 5. Build a Rain Garden Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.  Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots. These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.  6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.  Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.  This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.  You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.  You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas. 7. Build a Wicking Bed Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.  These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.  Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.  Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed. FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.  How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard? It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited. The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard. A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage. Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.  What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden? I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region. With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post. More Helpful Tips on Water Usage A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[alexha2210]

One minute you’re enjoying the great outdoors, the next minute you’ve got that irritating buzz in your year and a growing itchy welt. Mosquitoes are annoying pests that affect just about everyone, no matter where you live. Here’s how to keep them away and make a DIY mosquito trap when you’ve just had enough. Nobody likes a party crasher. Especially one that wants to suck your blood. A nice evening outside can veryyy quickly get ruined by an onslot of mosquitoes. One moment, you’re enjoying some well-deserved downtime on a lovely summer eve, and the next, you’re running for cover inside. While mosquitoes may be tiny, they sure know how to ruin the evening. Or time spent in the garden. Or a camping trip. You get the point! As someone who mosquitoes absolutely love (lucky me), I’ve gotten the system down pat for how to prevent them, keep them away from my skin, and even have a DIY mosquito trap that I utilize when all else fails. Here’s how to keep those mosquitoes away from your party! Citronella is famous for being a scent that mosquitoes hate. 7 Ways to Naturally Get Rid of Mosquitoes Before I get to the DIY mosquito trap, there are many other simple hacks you can use to not only get them to leave you alone but also prevent them from popping up in the first place. Remove Standing Water Let’s prevent mosquitoes from bothering you in the first place! Mosquitoes will breed in standing water, and they don’t like to travel far for food. Water that is stagnant for just four days can become a breeding ground. They can lay eggs in the stagnant water or even a container waiting to be filled up. Once the larvae pupate, you’ll have a hungry mosquito population on your hands. Birdbaths, ponds, and even a little pocket of rainwater can be the culprit. Remove any standing water, and turn anything that might collect water upside down. If you have a pond, I suggest adding fish to help eat the larvae or adding a bubbler to prevent mosquito breeding. Cover your rain barrel to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs. Mosquito Repellent Landscaping Did you know that what you plant can make a difference when it comes to mosquitoes? Many plants will give off an unpleasant aroma to mosquitoes. That being said, these plants will typically only release the scents when the leaves are touched and rubbed. Just planting them in your garden won’t help, but every little bit counts right? Plant these in an entertaining area, making them part of your landscape. Whenever you pass by, touch and rub the leaves to release their oils. Here are some plants mosquitoes dislike the smell of: These plants can be beautiful and useful! Keep Your Area Clean As I mentioned, mosquitoes will lay eggs in containers and any standing water they can find. Make sure to keep your area tidy to prevent mosquitoes from finding a neat little hideaway to lay eggs in. Neglected pots, shrubs, and debris can all be a perfect habitat. If you’re too tired to clean one day, do so the next! But don’t wait too long. Light Up Citronella Candles You’ll find citronella candles all over my deck. I even take them camping! They’re super simple to make out of old candle wax, citronella oil, and recycled containers like soup cans. Citronella is a bit of an acquired scent, even for humans, so making them yourself allows you to add in some additional scents to make it more appealing for our noses while keeping mosquitoes away naturally. Check out this post to see how I made my own recycled citronella candles. I make mine in recycled tin cans but also terracotta pots for a more polished look. Start a Breeze If I’m outside lounging and the mosquitoes are feasting on me, I like to bring a fan outside. This is especially helpful if you’re entertaining outside. Creating a warm breeze will not only keep everyone cool, but it will blow away united guests like mosquitoes out of the area. Naturally Protect Your Skin The last thing you will see me do is cover my skin in commercial bug spray with DEET. I mentioned above that there are many plants and scents that mosquitoes don’t like. Well, you can make your own bug spray using essential oils, which are concentrated versions of these plants. The plus side? It smells really lovely to us! See how I make my own bug spray here. This homemade bug spray takes one minute to make. Welcome the Spiders It’s time to get over your arachnophobia. While you may not like them, I guarantee that mosquitoes dislike garden spiders more than you. Try your best to leave the spider webs up in the garden and non-intrusive areas, as they will catch the mosquitoes for you. Every insect is doing their part for the local ecosystem, spiders and mosquitoes included. How to Make a DIY Mosquito Trap After you’ve done all these preventative measures to get rid of mosquitoes and keep them away, here’s a simple homemade mosquito trap you can make to keep them away. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide (it’s how they find us to bite!). This DIY mosquito trap creates carbon dioxide thanks to the fermentation of the sugar and yeast. As the mosquitoes fly in, they get trapped and die when they fall into the syrup. Materials 1 cup hot water 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 gram yeast 2 litre soda bottle Box cutter Duct tape Let your yeast water cool before making your trap. Make It! Cut the soda bottle in half. Dissolve the brown sugar (yes, it must be brown sugar or some kind of raw, unrefined sugar) in the hot water and then allow it to cool. Pour the sugar water into the bottom half of the bottle and then add in the yeast (no need to stir). Invert the top of the bottle so that the mouth sits inside the bottom of the bottle (above the syrup). Tape the two bottle halves together and set it in an area where the mosquitoes breed and feed. Change the syrup every two weeks or whenever it stops bubbling. This plastic was thin enough to use standard kitchen scissors with. FAQ About Mosquito Traps What kind of yeast for mosquito trap? Use any dry yeast. I use the traditional instant packets. Do vinegar and baking soda attract mosquitoes? The reaction between baking soda and vinegar releases CO2, which is the same effect as the sugar and yeast combination. In my experience, the sugar and yeast combination works better, but you can also try this method. Do mosquito dunks work? (and who should use them?) Yes! Mosquito dunks (also known as larvicide) utilize naturally occurring bacteria that release a toxin that kills mosquito and fungus gnat larvae. It’s used for standing water that you can’t get rid of, such as rain barrels or pool covers. It works for about 30 days and is supposed to not be toxic to people, pets, and other insects, such as bees. More Pest Management Hacks A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[angusstory]

One minute you’re enjoying the great outdoors, the next minute you’ve got that irritating buzz in your year and a growing itchy welt. Mosquitoes are annoying pests that affect just about everyone, no matter where you live. Here’s how to keep them away and make a DIY mosquito trap when you’ve just had enough. Nobody likes a party crasher. Especially one that wants to suck your blood. A nice evening outside can veryyy quickly get ruined by an onslot of mosquitoes. One moment, you’re enjoying some well-deserved downtime on a lovely summer eve, and the next, you’re running for cover inside. While mosquitoes may be tiny, they sure know how to ruin the evening. Or time spent in the garden. Or a camping trip. You get the point! As someone who mosquitoes absolutely love (lucky me), I’ve gotten the system down pat for how to prevent them, keep them away from my skin, and even have a DIY mosquito trap that I utilize when all else fails. Here’s how to keep those mosquitoes away from your party! Citronella is famous for being a scent that mosquitoes hate. 7 Ways to Naturally Get Rid of Mosquitoes Before I get to the DIY mosquito trap, there are many other simple hacks you can use to not only get them to leave you alone but also prevent them from popping up in the first place. Remove Standing Water Let’s prevent mosquitoes from bothering you in the first place! Mosquitoes will breed in standing water, and they don’t like to travel far for food. Water that is stagnant for just four days can become a breeding ground. They can lay eggs in the stagnant water or even a container waiting to be filled up. Once the larvae pupate, you’ll have a hungry mosquito population on your hands. Birdbaths, ponds, and even a little pocket of rainwater can be the culprit. Remove any standing water, and turn anything that might collect water upside down. If you have a pond, I suggest adding fish to help eat the larvae or adding a bubbler to prevent mosquito breeding. Cover your rain barrel to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs. Mosquito Repellent Landscaping Did you know that what you plant can make a difference when it comes to mosquitoes? Many plants will give off an unpleasant aroma to mosquitoes. That being said, these plants will typically only release the scents when the leaves are touched and rubbed. Just planting them in your garden won’t help, but every little bit counts right? Plant these in an entertaining area, making them part of your landscape. Whenever you pass by, touch and rub the leaves to release their oils. Here are some plants mosquitoes dislike the smell of: These plants can be beautiful and useful! Keep Your Area Clean As I mentioned, mosquitoes will lay eggs in containers and any standing water they can find. Make sure to keep your area tidy to prevent mosquitoes from finding a neat little hideaway to lay eggs in. Neglected pots, shrubs, and debris can all be a perfect habitat. If you’re too tired to clean one day, do so the next! But don’t wait too long. Light Up Citronella Candles You’ll find citronella candles all over my deck. I even take them camping! They’re super simple to make out of old candle wax, citronella oil, and recycled containers like soup cans. Citronella is a bit of an acquired scent, even for humans, so making them yourself allows you to add in some additional scents to make it more appealing for our noses while keeping mosquitoes away naturally. Check out this post to see how I made my own recycled citronella candles. I make mine in recycled tin cans but also terracotta pots for a more polished look. Start a Breeze If I’m outside lounging and the mosquitoes are feasting on me, I like to bring a fan outside. This is especially helpful if you’re entertaining outside. Creating a warm breeze will not only keep everyone cool, but it will blow away united guests like mosquitoes out of the area. Naturally Protect Your Skin The last thing you will see me do is cover my skin in commercial bug spray with DEET. I mentioned above that there are many plants and scents that mosquitoes don’t like. Well, you can make your own bug spray using essential oils, which are concentrated versions of these plants. The plus side? It smells really lovely to us! See how I make my own bug spray here. This homemade bug spray takes one minute to make. Welcome the Spiders It’s time to get over your arachnophobia. While you may not like them, I guarantee that mosquitoes dislike garden spiders more than you. Try your best to leave the spider webs up in the garden and non-intrusive areas, as they will catch the mosquitoes for you. Every insect is doing their part for the local ecosystem, spiders and mosquitoes included. How to Make a DIY Mosquito Trap After you’ve done all these preventative measures to get rid of mosquitoes and keep them away, here’s a simple homemade mosquito trap you can make to keep them away. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide (it’s how they find us to bite!). This DIY mosquito trap creates carbon dioxide thanks to the fermentation of the sugar and yeast. As the mosquitoes fly in, they get trapped and die when they fall into the syrup. Materials 1 cup hot water 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 gram yeast 2 litre soda bottle Box cutter Duct tape Let your yeast water cool before making your trap. Make It! Cut the soda bottle in half. Dissolve the brown sugar (yes, it must be brown sugar or some kind of raw, unrefined sugar) in the hot water and then allow it to cool. Pour the sugar water into the bottom half of the bottle and then add in the yeast (no need to stir). Invert the top of the bottle so that the mouth sits inside the bottom of the bottle (above the syrup). Tape the two bottle halves together and set it in an area where the mosquitoes breed and feed. Change the syrup every two weeks or whenever it stops bubbling. This plastic was thin enough to use standard kitchen scissors with. FAQ About Mosquito Traps What kind of yeast for mosquito trap? Use any dry yeast. I use the traditional instant packets. Do vinegar and baking soda attract mosquitoes? The reaction between baking soda and vinegar releases CO2, which is the same effect as the sugar and yeast combination. In my experience, the sugar and yeast combination works better, but you can also try this method. Do mosquito dunks work? (and who should use them?) Yes! Mosquito dunks (also known as larvicide) utilize naturally occurring bacteria that release a toxin that kills mosquito and fungus gnat larvae. It’s used for standing water that you can’t get rid of, such as rain barrels or pool covers. It works for about 30 days and is supposed to not be toxic to people, pets, and other insects, such as bees. More Pest Management Hacks A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[tumibaba]

One minute you’re enjoying the great outdoors, the next minute you’ve got that irritating buzz in your year and a growing itchy welt. Mosquitoes are annoying pests that affect just about everyone, no matter where you live. Here’s how to keep them away and make a DIY mosquito trap when you’ve just had enough. Nobody likes a party crasher. Especially one that wants to suck your blood. A nice evening outside can veryyy quickly get ruined by an onslot of mosquitoes. One moment, you’re enjoying some well-deserved downtime on a lovely summer eve, and the next, you’re running for cover inside. While mosquitoes may be tiny, they sure know how to ruin the evening. Or time spent in the garden. Or a camping trip. You get the point! As someone who mosquitoes absolutely love (lucky me), I’ve gotten the system down pat for how to prevent them, keep them away from my skin, and even have a DIY mosquito trap that I utilize when all else fails. Here’s how to keep those mosquitoes away from your party! Citronella is famous for being a scent that mosquitoes hate. 7 Ways to Naturally Get Rid of Mosquitoes Before I get to the DIY mosquito trap, there are many other simple hacks you can use to not only get them to leave you alone but also prevent them from popping up in the first place. Remove Standing Water Let’s prevent mosquitoes from bothering you in the first place! Mosquitoes will breed in standing water, and they don’t like to travel far for food. Water that is stagnant for just four days can become a breeding ground. They can lay eggs in the stagnant water or even a container waiting to be filled up. Once the larvae pupate, you’ll have a hungry mosquito population on your hands. Birdbaths, ponds, and even a little pocket of rainwater can be the culprit. Remove any standing water, and turn anything that might collect water upside down. If you have a pond, I suggest adding fish to help eat the larvae or adding a bubbler to prevent mosquito breeding. Cover your rain barrel to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs. Mosquito Repellent Landscaping Did you know that what you plant can make a difference when it comes to mosquitoes? Many plants will give off an unpleasant aroma to mosquitoes. That being said, these plants will typically only release the scents when the leaves are touched and rubbed. Just planting them in your garden won’t help, but every little bit counts right? Plant these in an entertaining area, making them part of your landscape. Whenever you pass by, touch and rub the leaves to release their oils. Here are some plants mosquitoes dislike the smell of: These plants can be beautiful and useful! Keep Your Area Clean As I mentioned, mosquitoes will lay eggs in containers and any standing water they can find. Make sure to keep your area tidy to prevent mosquitoes from finding a neat little hideaway to lay eggs in. Neglected pots, shrubs, and debris can all be a perfect habitat. If you’re too tired to clean one day, do so the next! But don’t wait too long. Light Up Citronella Candles You’ll find citronella candles all over my deck. I even take them camping! They’re super simple to make out of old candle wax, citronella oil, and recycled containers like soup cans. Citronella is a bit of an acquired scent, even for humans, so making them yourself allows you to add in some additional scents to make it more appealing for our noses while keeping mosquitoes away naturally. Check out this post to see how I made my own recycled citronella candles. I make mine in recycled tin cans but also terracotta pots for a more polished look. Start a Breeze If I’m outside lounging and the mosquitoes are feasting on me, I like to bring a fan outside. This is especially helpful if you’re entertaining outside. Creating a warm breeze will not only keep everyone cool, but it will blow away united guests like mosquitoes out of the area. Naturally Protect Your Skin The last thing you will see me do is cover my skin in commercial bug spray with DEET. I mentioned above that there are many plants and scents that mosquitoes don’t like. Well, you can make your own bug spray using essential oils, which are concentrated versions of these plants. The plus side? It smells really lovely to us! See how I make my own bug spray here. This homemade bug spray takes one minute to make. Welcome the Spiders It’s time to get over your arachnophobia. While you may not like them, I guarantee that mosquitoes dislike garden spiders more than you. Try your best to leave the spider webs up in the garden and non-intrusive areas, as they will catch the mosquitoes for you. Every insect is doing their part for the local ecosystem, spiders and mosquitoes included. How to Make a DIY Mosquito Trap After you’ve done all these preventative measures to get rid of mosquitoes and keep them away, here’s a simple homemade mosquito trap you can make to keep them away. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide (it’s how they find us to bite!). This DIY mosquito trap creates carbon dioxide thanks to the fermentation of the sugar and yeast. As the mosquitoes fly in, they get trapped and die when they fall into the syrup. Materials 1 cup hot water 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 gram yeast 2 litre soda bottle Box cutter Duct tape Let your yeast water cool before making your trap. Make It! Cut the soda bottle in half. Dissolve the brown sugar (yes, it must be brown sugar or some kind of raw, unrefined sugar) in the hot water and then allow it to cool. Pour the sugar water into the bottom half of the bottle and then add in the yeast (no need to stir). Invert the top of the bottle so that the mouth sits inside the bottom of the bottle (above the syrup). Tape the two bottle halves together and set it in an area where the mosquitoes breed and feed. Change the syrup every two weeks or whenever it stops bubbling. This plastic was thin enough to use standard kitchen scissors with. FAQ About Mosquito Traps What kind of yeast for mosquito trap? Use any dry yeast. I use the traditional instant packets. Do vinegar and baking soda attract mosquitoes? The reaction between baking soda and vinegar releases CO2, which is the same effect as the sugar and yeast combination. In my experience, the sugar and yeast combination works better, but you can also try this method. Do mosquito dunks work? (and who should use them?) Yes! Mosquito dunks (also known as larvicide) utilize naturally occurring bacteria that release a toxin that kills mosquito and fungus gnat larvae. It’s used for standing water that you can’t get rid of, such as rain barrels or pool covers. It works for about 30 days and is supposed to not be toxic to people, pets, and other insects, such as bees. More Pest Management Hacks A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link