Hosepipe Ban? How to manage...

If, like us, you are now entering the zone of the hosepipe ban, here are some ideas as to how to manage your tender plants, without turning on the tap!

1. Leave established plants, that are in the ground well alone. Their roots will go deep and they will find what they need.
   

   

2. Ignore your lawn - I know this sounds tough, and children playing on the lawn will find it tough on knees and elbows, however, grass is the most resilient of plants, as you see when you look at deserts....it is the first to spring back with the smallest amount of rain, so leave it alone, let it burn to a crisp and watch it return, time and time again, with lovely vibrant green!

   
   

   

3. Potted plants and veggies.....well, I haven't watered my veggies, both outside in beds and in the polytunnel, since I planted them. When I planted them, I made a hole, filled it with water and plopped the seedling in. After that, they have to fend for themselves, which they do as their main root and the tiny fibrous hair roots go deep into the soil to search for moisture. when I have wanted to feed the tomatoes and aubergines in the polytunnel, I have waited until it has rained, so that the soil is already damp and the small amount of water and quite concentrated feed doesn't run off the surface, but goes straight to the plant.

   

   

   

   If you haven't planted this way, all is not lost! Just use grey water....for example, when you wash your hands, don't just run the tap and watch the water disappear down the drain, use a bowl to catch the water, then use that in your watering can for your pots and veggies. Use as little soap as possible, otherwise your carrots may taste a little odd! Same goes with the shower/bath water. I put the plug in the bath, even when having a shower, and then use that water for all my pots, raised beds, and veggies.
   

4. Of course, the other major thing is to harvest the rainwater in the first place....however small your outside space, there is always scope to harvest. There are very slim water butts on the market these days, and a downpipe connector will see you through. I am very lucky now that I have a lot more space (renting 1/2 an acre!) however, this wasn't always the case - I had a tiny garden and I had to make it work, so we had a water butt at the front, one at the back and I managed to find a couple of those big blue barrels, so I filled them throughout the Winter, so when it became very dry, we used the butts first, then the barrels, then the bathwater, then the plants had to fend for themselves...fortunately, that last bit was never too long!

   
   
   

   

At the end of the day, our climate is changing and extremes of weather seem to be more frequent, meaning we have to adapt, our plants WILL adapt and, not to be too dramatic, food should always be the priority over decorative, in my view. It is a supremely horrible feeling watching something you have nutured die, however, if you don't care for your food source, it could be a lot more extreme! This is where the hugely dramatic music should kick in...