Water is arguably our most precious resource. All living things need water to survive. But we don’t just want our productive organic food gardens to survive, we want them to thrive! And a growing plant uses a lot more water than one that is just surviving. Every part of the plant growing process uses water.

When plants start to become dehydrated they stop photosynthesising, close their stomata, stop taking in nutrients and stop growing. It can take a few days for some plants to recover even if there has been no tissue damage. So it is vitally important not to let your plants become dehydrated (just like yourself).

Not enough water can kill or stunt your plants. Sometimes mild water stress can be a good thing, as it encourages plants to send their roots down deeper into the soil, making them more drought tolerant. The aim is to use as little water as possible without causing stress.

Ways to use less water

1. Create soils that are made up of humus and organic matter. These soils can hold lots of water and plants can easily draw it up. It has great water-holding capacity as well as having a high nutrient content.

2. Mulch the soil surface. This reduces evaporation, keeping the underlying soil moist for longer. Any mulch is better than no mulch, even if it’s underfelt (the older kinds are safer) or newspaper. This also prevents soil erosion.

3. Use drip irrigation – preferably under the mulch or soil surface. There are purpose made recycled hoses available now that are perfect for the job. You can save up to 90% by using drip irrigation rather than a sprinkler.

4. Only water when it is needed and as much as is needed. If you’re not sure, try the finger test. Yes – poke your finger into the soil to see if it is moist or dry. Make sure the water penetrates as deep as the roots, but it’s a waste to water any deeper than that.

5. If you live where summers are really hot, plant crops under partial shade. It could be shade from a pergola or tall plants such as sweet corn.

These are simple methods to reduce your water consumption. You could also consider collecting your own water. If we all had rain-water tanks attached to our houses it would not only give us clean, free water, but would reduce the amount of water that ends up in our storm water drains. It is also much better for food gardens as mains water is often high in salts, chlorine and fluoride.

Re-use of “grey” water is also another way to reduce how much water we consume. It can be used on lawns and other plants in the garden that are not for food production.

Hi, I am an avid organic gardener and am known by my friends as the recycling queen. I live on a small country property in South Australia. It is my mission to encourage as many people as possible to start organic gardening. This will improve both our individual lives and the wellbeing of our personal and global environments. Please visit my website and get your free 3 part Composting Guide. For Companion Planting info click here.

Happy gardening, healthy living?
Julie Williams
http://www.1stoporganicgardening.com

When was the last time you observed a water fall? There is nothing quite as calming as gentle, cascading water spilling over rocks and into a pool below. It doesn’t matter if it is in Yellowstone Park or in your living room. The relaxing effects are the same.
Have you ever considered having a water garden in your own back yard? Having a water fall or water garden in your own yard would allow you to enjoy that same peace and tranquility any time you wish, and it isn’t as difficult as you might first imagine. Once you make the choice to build a water garden, you will need to decide if you want to design the garden yourself or perhaps utilize one of the many kits available.

The first thing to consider is the size of the area you have available for your water garden. If you don’t have a large back yard, don’t let that stop you. Almost any sized area can be utilized for this project.
In recent years water garden kits have become much more readily available. Using a kit can save you quite a bit of time, as most come with just about everything needed. The most common kits are made from high density plastic components that will handle weather of all kinds, and should last for many years. This is obviously the quickest and easiest approach to getting your water garden project completed.

If you should decide to build your own water garden from scratch you will obviously need a bit more time to get your project completed. You can find plans at most local garden centers, and they should have at least a few water garden displays available for you to get an idea of what the completed project might look like. If you should see one you like, ask if they have the plans for that design. Once you decide on a plan you will need the supplies to put it together. Any good set of plans will have at least a basic supplies list included. With some patience and a little help you and your family will be enjoying your new water garden before you know it.

If you are a bit more adventurous and creative, you can even design own water garden. This approach will allow you to incorporate some of the ideas you have seen from other water gardens into your design, and create your own one of a kind masterpiece. If you haven’t ever undertaken a project like this before, it might be a good idea to at least speak with a professional landscaper. There might be a few things involved that you haven’t considered. But with a little planning, it really isn’t as difficult as it might sound at first. Have a look around at several water garden supply stores to get those creative juices flowing.

No matter which approach you decide to take, building a water garden is a fun and exciting project that you and your family will enjoy for many years to come.

Mike Eggert is a web author and contributor to the Water Garden information website http://watergardens.home-lawn-garden.com

Choosing the right water feature for your garden can be a real challenge. There are as many types of water features as there are techniques for installing and servicing. This article will deal with a few examples of water features, per se, to acquaint us with the wide and surprising array of possibilities for installing water in our gardens and landscapes.

The Waterfall

Waterfalls delight the senses in so many ways. The motion itself tends to lead to fascination as we admire the coursing of water over a falls, catching sunlight and looking so fresh and natural. The sounds of the splashing water as it drops delights by soothing, a somehow powerful sound which overcomes and demands attention. Waterfalls seem to close off the outer world, fascinating humans since time immemorial. These water features remain focal points in many of the most exotic gardens and cityscapes in the world, providing places of congregation and repose. And, hey, if kids love them, they have to be cool.
An underestimated benefit, as well, of waterfalls is their night time possibilities. Modern lighting techniques can spotlight cascades of water by illuminating from under the falls themselves as well as from outside them.

Creeks

Many waterfalls lead into small creeks, coursing through some property most enjoyably, a construct of Nature and man providing more liquid motion to delight the eye and senses. There is no accident that perhaps the most famous residence in the world, Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Falling Water” is built over a stream, intimately connected with running and falling water and the sounds and sights therein. The same attributes supplied by waterfalls and listed above pertain to this unique water feature. The sound is effective and can be induced to course through areas to change the sound environment. Water’s piercing sound qualities are quite amazing, really. Water’s sound is penetrating and a little can go a long way. Thus creeks themselves, if long enough, can literally change the audial environment substantially.

Bubble Rocks

Bubble rocks are rocks which have been bored through, length-wise, providing a channel for a small pump to allow water to bubble out from the top and thus coat the rock in water. These also provide the sound of tricking water and can be used in incredibly small spaces. They also take lighting most admirably. The range of rocks one can do this with is literally limitless. There are places one can get any rock bored, usually costing about $50 a linear, bored foot, depending on the size of the hole. Their virtue is in the fact that they do not need a lot of room. Enough for a small basin to hold water and a pump.

Ponds

Ponds can be from 8 feet across to lake size. Ponds offer yet another marvelous quality in a landscape or garden: absolute serene water. Inside the pond, there is a range of possibillity that boggles the mind, from fishes to plants, from decorative bottoms to decks built to shimmer an inch or two above the water. Ponds need space, naturally, thus they are not really an urban choice. Generally, ponds have algae issues much more severe than those encounted by rapidly-moving water features and it is always something to consider. Many folks aerate their water by using any number of fountaining gizmos to send the water skyward. This really helps a pond’s ecology, especially inasmuch as the aeration provides excellent amounts of oxygen for what lies below.

Formal Features

These are constructions of cement and more formal style. They can be hard-lined, sparsely severe-looking edifices which supply the smoothest of cascades, virtual “sheets” of water, falling into almost endless types of basins and pools. These are every bit as satisfying as the more naturalistic waterfalls, creeks and ponds and are also subject to astounding lighting effects. As well, formal water features include those cool little basins mounted on walls, a particular delight at an entryway or even inside a home. The art applied here can be amazing, using items like stone, copper, brass, steel to form illusions and literal artworks. There is, as one can see, no limit in the ability to transform something as simple as the use of water itself into some awe-inspiring human construct.

Need help with your water feature? Get FREE direct advice from Steve by joining
Verdant Gardening and Landscaping Forums – http://www.verdantforums.com

Steve Snedeker is a professional landscaper. Steve has planned and installed award winning gardens across the US and Canada. Visit Steve’s blog and see his work at SteveSnedeker.com

Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement to create a harmonious feel, can help make your garden a much more serene place to relax. Incorporating Feng Shui into your garden is very easy with Bamboo Feng Shui Fountains.

Water is an incredibly important element in any garden – it represents wealth and heavenly blessings, and using it ensures that you always have the positive ?chi’, or energy, associated with it. Fountains are the most convenient and effective way to use the element of water in your garden, because they make certain that it is always clear and flowing – never stagnant.

Bamboo fountains not only bring the peace and harmony of Feng Shui into your outdoor space, they’re also beautiful and very easy to set up. They can simply be placed on the side of any bowl with the pump placed in the water, and they’re ready to use! Bamboo water spouts can be used with any decorative bowls wide enough to accommodate the base of the fountain. You can also use them in your garden pond. They’re small enough to be moved inside when winter arrives, so you can continue enjoying the benefits of flowing water through the cold season.

The sophisticated, minimalist elegance of these fountains complement nearly any style of garden d?cor. Bamboo water spout fountains typically come in two styles: the traditional kind that sits on the edge of a container, or ?deer chasers’, which combine aesthetics, sound, and motion. With deer chasers, the fountain has a bamboo ?arm’ that rocks forward when it fills with water, then rocks backward to create a gentle ?clacking’ sound. Deer Chasers require a flat space next to your container or pond to be set up. The base is covered with rocks, and the spout should be positioned so that it will re-circulate the water back into the container.

Bamboo fountains will attract birds and other wildlife to your outdoor space, and are also safe to use in ponds containing fish and other marine life. They’re simple, elegant, and make inexpensive and very unique gifts.

Stephanie Gottschalk writes the blogs ‘Picnic Fun – Tips and Recipes’ and ‘The Joy of Water Fountains’ for Specialty Living Inc., an Asheville, North Carolina-based company that aims to share their love of people, nature and life through high quality water fountains, picnic baskets and outdoor living products.