10 simple techniques for saving water in the garden

Article for :All parent plants

Would you like to water less, out of ecological concern or because you're lazy? Follow these ten simple tips to save water in the garden without changing your habits (too much).

#1: Choose drought-resistant plants

Flowering and hardy, lavatera requires watering only in periods of drought and high heat - Photo by Maja Dumat / Flickr

Not all plants have the same needs. The first technique for reducing watering in the garden is therefore to grow varieties that require little water.

Cacti and succulents live in desert regions and can go for weeks, even months, without drinking a drop. In the garden, choose hardy varieties such as :

spider's web houseleek (Sempervivum arachnoideum);
Mountain agave (Agave montana);
Corsican spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites);
Opuntia engelmannii.

Or turn to Mediterranean plants such as lavender, common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), rockrose (Cistus) or lavatera(Lavatera). Installed in the ground, most of these perennials require regular watering for the first year, and then only during dry spells.

You can also save water in the vegetable garden. Give preference to root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beet): their slow growth and reduced foliage require fewer resources than cucumbers, leeks and cabbages. Plant alongside pumpkins, squash, garlic and shallots. They don't need much. And to grow spinach and lettuce, wait for the rain to return and for late summer or early autumn to plant your seedlings.

Finally, forget about green gardens! Grass and lawns are real thirst-quenchers! If you're desperate for a patch of green on which to spread out, choose clover, which is hardier and less greedy. Already have a lawn? Mow high (between 5 and 10 centimetres) and don't water during the summer. It will recover in autumn, with the first rains.

#2: Work the soil in your garden

A little elbow grease saves a lot of water

The gardening world is full of more or less dubious sayings. But the one that says thatone hoeing is worth two waterings is as wise as a Confucius quote. In fact, by working the soil, you reduce your water consumption.

Start by removing the crust that forms on the surface so that water can penetrate better. Then pull out weeds so they don't compete with your crops or take advantage of your watering. Finally, add compost or fertilizer. Improving soil quality increases its capacity to retain moisture. The icing on the cake is that organic matter (manure or compost, for example) acts like a sponge: it stores water to release it later.

#3: Mulch the soil with mineral matter

Mulching also protects plants from the cold in winter - Photo by Alfredo Medeiros / Pexels

Mulching the base of plants with organic matter limits evaporation and helps keep the soil cool. This means you need to water less often. What's more, mulching prevents the growth of weeds and allows water to infiltrate the soil more slowly and efficiently. Two other benefits that help reduce watering!

When it comes to mulching, you're spoilt for choice: straw, grass clippings, leaves, Rameal Chipped Wood (RCW)... The main thing is to maintain a layer of mulch about ten centimetres thick, and remember to renew it if it rots.

On the other hand, avoid mulching the base of succulents and rock gardens. Moisture will kill them!

#4: Water your plants at the right time

Watering in the evening limits evaporation - Photo by Emilio Labrador /Flickr

Staggering or bringing forward your watering by a few hours can help you use less water. The warmer the weather, the faster water evaporates and the less time the soil has to assimilate it.

When the days and nights are hot, water preferably in the evening. If temperatures drop in the evening, water in the morning. This will prevent fungal diseases.

#5: Water regularly and copiously

Always water at the base of the plant / Photo by Thirdman /Pexels

Plants prefer copious watering when they need it, rather than a little water every day. You'll be more effective if you water deeply when the substrate has dried sufficiently, rather than emptying the bottom of your water bottle into the pot of your Lemon tree (Citrus x limon) every evening when you get home from work. Don't know when your plant is thirsty? Download the Monstera app. We'll send you a reminder when it's time to water.

When it comes to saving water in the garden, watering isn't just a question of frequency, it's also a question of technique. Water at the base of the plant. Don't wet the leaves or flowers. You'll waste water and risk encouraging the development of fungi.

If you can, water in two stages. Water lightly at the base of the plant to moisten the soil. Come back ten minutes later and water generously so that the water penetrates deeply.

Follow these rules when caring fora potted plant. Make sure you also water abundantly, until the water runs off through the drainage towers.

# 6: Plant in the ground

If hardiness permits, plant in the ground, as in this Camellia - Photo by David Smith /Flickr

In the open ground, plants can develop their root systems deep down, giving them easy access to water. They also benefit from natural reserves that don't exist in a tub. Indeed, in a pot or window box, water quickly drains away through the drainage holes. If you have the opportunity, plant your Olivier (Olea europaea) or Japanese Camellia (Camelia japonica) in the ground rather than in a pot.

Do you have to opt for potted planting? Make sure your container is the right size for your plant: too large and the potting soil remains damp, rotting the roots; too small and the potting soil doesn't retain enough moisture, requiring you to water more often.

#7: Dig troughs and furrows to retain water

Furrows aren't very pretty, but they can save you a lot of water / Famartin /Wikipedia

Think about creating a watering trough at the foot of your shrubs and trees. Around the root ball, form a ten to twenty centimetre dike of earth. When you water, fill it in. Water will evaporate less quickly and be directed directly to the roots.

Use the same principle in the vegetable garden, and dig furrows between your crops. All you have to do is pour water into these mini-channels to effectively irrigate the root system.

#8: Install a drip irrigation system

A drilled pipe is used to distribute water in a drip system - Photo by Preston Keres /Rawpixel

Another solution for limiting losses and reducing water use in the garden: drip irrigation systems. By supplying small quantities of water continuously, they keep the soil irrigated.

Depending on your budget, the surface area to be irrigated and your appetite for technology, you can use :

An upside-down bottle ;
Oyas;
Porous tubing;
An irrigation system connected to your rainwater collector.

#9: Use hydro-retainers in the garden

Hydro-retainers mix with the soil - Photo by Portaljardin /Needpix

The latest innovation for gardeners: hydro-retainers. These crystals, sold in gel, bead or grain form, mix with your substrate.

The crystals act like sponges. They retain water during rainfall and watering, then release it when the soil is dry. But this technology comes at a price! It costs around 10 euros per square metre of soil..

#10: Shade your plants

You can remove the shade sails once the hot weather has passed - Photo by Prahla'd /Flickr

It's not all about the roots. Providing your plants with a little shade is an effective way of limiting water evaporation and slowing down soil drying. You can, for example, cover your seedlings with crates or lay out shade sails that you can remove when the sun is less intense.

By Servane Nemetz
on 09-07-2025 at 13h41