It is still winter and the maintenance required for plants which normally sprout outside is still relatively low. Even those hardy crops that have remained outside the house are already cared for and wrapped up in jute sacks - except for minimal watering, they don’t need much care.
But when the holidays are long past and March rolls around, it’s time to start thinking about spring. It won’t be long now before the new gardening season begins. New plants are planted, bulbs are thinned, and hedges and trees come back to life.
It is not just important that plants are watered regularly, but also that they are watered properly. It is better to water plants generously twice a week than to give them a little water every day. Water around the plant stems or stalks in the morning or evening. Do not water the leaves, flowers or needles. Due to the cost of water, if you have a large garden or a lot of plants, it may be worthwhile buying a cistern or a rain barrel, thus allowing you to water your plants with rainwater. In addition to the long-term cost savings, there are further advantages to using rainwater instead of tap water:
- Rainwater contains much less calcium than the tap water from most taps in the UK
- Antimicrobial substances are often added to tap water which, although beneficial for human health, can be harmful to plants.
- It is not ecologically responsible to use valuable drinking water for watering your garden, especially when rainwater has no disadvantages for your plants.
- If you use a lot of water, rainwater represents a significant cost saving.
- Therefore under certain circumstances it is extremely worthwhile investing in a cistern or a rain barrel.