8 tips to drought-proof your garden

Take a look at these eight simple tips to help you drought-proof your garden, conserve water, improve plant health and maintain a beautiful landscape during a long hot summer.  

1. Soil

Improving your soil health is one way to build resilience to drought as a well-structured soil is better at retaining water. Enhance your garden’s soil with organic matter like compost to improve water retention. This helps soil to retain moisture and reduces the need for frequent watering.

2. Design 

Incorporate new gardening techniques like xeriscaping (landscaping with drought-tolerant plants) and hydro zoning (grouping plants with similar water needs) to help you save water. Wicking beds are great for growing vegetables, drawing water and nutrients up into the lower levels of soil, limiting evaporation loss from surface watering.

3. Plant selection

Select the right plant for the right place: Plant selection and positioning in the garden is very important. Don’t fight nature by putting a shade-loving plan in full sun, or a plant that loves water in a dry, non-irrigated garden. This will just make the high maintenance. 

4. Mulch

Mulch helps to retain soil moisture, reduce evaporation, and keep weeds at bay. Organic mulch, such as wood chips or straw, is ideal. A nice thick layer of mulch keeps the soil cooler underneath and therefore keeps plant roots cooler. If a plant’s roots are insulated against the heat with mulch, they can withstand much hotter conditions than without.

5.Water

Watering in the early morning or late evening will reduce water loss due to evaporation. The best way to water is to give your garden a long, slow soaking with a hose or drippers once a week, or twice a week in very hot weather. This means the water will penetrate deep down into the soil structure, encouraging plants to develop a robust and health root system which is more tolerant to drought and dry conditions.  

6. Lawn

Consider reducing the size of your lawn or replacing it with drought-tolerant ground covers or native grasses. During warmer weather, mow at a higher setting to maintain good leaf coverage and in turn, a strong root system, which is more drought tolerant. 

7. Shade

Strategically plant trees or install shade structures to protect sensitive plants from the scorching summer sun. Shade can reduce water loss through evaporation. This will also help to keep you and your garden cooler during those hot dry days. 

8. Maintenance

Healthy plants are more resilient to drought stress so keep your garden healthy through regular weeding, pest control, and disease management.