Save water and look after your soil by watering with the right amount at the right time of day. Instead of reaching for the garden tap, collect rainwater and reuse water from the home (e.g. the water that gets wasted as you wait for the hot water to come through).
The Guardian newspaper has some handy tips for saving water in the garden.
Look after your garden soil because healthy soils grow better plants. Soils with plenty of free drainage (thanks to good root growth and the humble earthworm) retain more water, reducing the need for watering. Soil is a ‘living’ aerobic environment and a ‘good’ soil is 45% mineral, 25% water, 25% air and 5% organic matter.
Use of artificial fertilisers can actually be bad for your soil health, and too much can leach or wash into rivers and cause pollution.
Top tips: Use natural soil conditioners such as leaf mulch, bark chippings, well-rotted organic manure, coir (from coconuts), green manure, make your own liquid feed from comfrey or nettles, organic chicken manure can also be a useful addition.
Be a savvy shopper: Some organic fertilisers contain fish blood and bone, which it is best to avoid to ensure our seafood remains sustainable - see our promise, Eat sustainable seafood.
