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Best water-saving tips
Many of you suggested getting a rain barrel, using mulch and watering in the early morning or late afternoon—all excellent advice. Here are some other canny tips for being water-wise
The best thing for hanging baskets and pots, especially clay pots, is **disposable diapers**. I remove extra material from around the diaper, chop the main area into four or five pieces and layer them in the container—the diapers’ water-retaining pellets never let me down! *—Keri Kazuk, Winnipeg*
Cut the bottom off a **one- or two-litre pop bottle**. Partially bury it upside down near your plant. Fill with water (and fertilizer if needed). The water seeps in slowly and gets closer to the roots. *—Brian Nelson, Yorkton, SK*
**Let your lawn go dormant** when it gets really hot. Nature planned it that way, and the grass will green up quickly come fall rains. *—Tim Crane, Cranbrook, BC*
I group my plants together according to their watering needs and set my **sprinkler system timer** for a different frequency and duration for each plant zone, thus conserving water and not over- or under-watering. *—Nick Aloe, Toronto*
During the summer, I plumb my **sump pump** outside directly under an evergreen tree. It absolutely loves all the extra water. *—Mardelle Williams, Churchbridge, SK*
Don’t confuse the **afternoon drooping** that some plants display in the heat with a need for water. They simply can’t take up enough water to keep pace with the amount being lost from their leaves; they usually perk up once the sun moves off them. *—Judith Rogers, Innisfil, ON*
Put **grass clippings** around your plants after watering; it prevents the soil from drying out in hot weather. *—Flo Day, Flin Flon, MB*
I find lilies and daylilies, as well as gaillardia, purple coneflowers, Maltese cross, monkshood and lavatera all seem to thrive with **little watering**. *—Judy Williams, Quispamsis, NB*
**Soaker hoses** are a dream...they cost so little and really do the trick. *—Julie Williamson, Smithville, ON*
I keep my **containers under my hanging plants**, so if the baskets overflow, the water is caught and used by the plants in the containers. *—Carla Ehrenreich, Peace River, AB*
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