Ways To Use Rains For Your Garden

Monday, July 16, 2012, 15:51 [IST]

The rains have finally arrived breaking through the oppressive heat. Most of us are happy to see the first rains even if they do not make life very comfortable while travelling. Even if you are a fan of this wet and soggy season, you can make the most of it as a gardener. Yes, using the rains for your garden is a very viable idea.

All year round, you have to maintain a fixed schedule of watering your plants but during this season, the rain water will do this job for you. Here are some smart ways to use the rains for your garden.

Ways To Use Rains For Your Garden:

Rain water harvesting: Do you know that 2/3rd of the world is full of water and it is all salt water? There is very little fresh water in the world and thus we should use it judiciously. At least for the couple of months when it rains, one should store the rain water and use it to water plants. For harvesting rain water, you can either leave buckets out in the open or make a channel through your roof that directs water to the tanker.

Natural Sprinklers: Rain for your garden is a natural sprinkler. Why do we use sprinklers for watering plants instead of just pouring water with mugs? Sprinkling helps you drizzle water on the entire plant uniformly. Keeping the potted plants out in the rain might act as a natural sprinkling session for them.

Shading: If you have an outdoor garden, then there is a risk that torrential rains might erode the fertile top soil of your garden. Most people build a temporary shade over their garden with a plastic sheet to protect it from the rains. Instead of shutting out the rain water completely with an opaque sheet, use a perforated sheet to allow some water to drizzle through. In this way you will be using the rain water and yet not damaging your plants.

Word Of Caution:

1. Never leave your potted plants out in the first rains. The first rains of the season have toxic elements in them. They dilute the pollutants in the atmosphere. Thus, your plants might be harmed by them.

2. Rain water may be good for your plants but the wind and the storm is not. Always protect your plants from the brisk winds if there is a storm. If the winds are strong enough, they may even uproot your plants.

Use the rains for your garden judiciously because this is the mark of an expert gardener.