Water Capture in the Xeric Garden
Rainwater Cisterns
Ease the Burden on Mother Nature
Capturing water can be as simple as putting a bucket under the downspout, or as complex as multiple water cisterns and rain barrels with taps, pumps and hoses to deliver the water to its destination via drip irrigation systems. Don't forget to make your water capture system beautiful too, with a rustic rain chain.
Utilizing as much of the natural water supply as possible is an important feature of a xeric garden; just choosing drought tolerant plants and having smart strategies to make your water go further isn't enough; even your xeric garden requires some water. Using RainwaterRain as it falls from the sky usually has few impurities, making it perfect for watering plants. Using rainwater to irrigate succulents with waxy or hairy leaves won't mark them with calcium or other minerals. Rainwater has been long been prized for washing hair - use water from rain water cisterns to rinse out the shampoo and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how smooth and sleek your hair feels. In some areas, rainwater is used for household purposes, even drinking water, but a system should be set up specifically to safely capture it to eliminate contamination from dust and bird droppings from your roof. Rainfall and Greywater Capture as much rainfall as you can off the roofs around your homestead, and don't forget snow-melt as well. Any water source such as a pond will attract wildlife and the insects they feed on to your garden.
In some areas of the world, greywater, the waste water from showers and laundry, is guided into a treatment area such as a mulch bed or reed bed to be purified in a natural way. Warm winter areas would be the most logical place to use this. Become a Lazy Xeric Gardener Leave stems and flower heads on your perennials and shrubs to capture snowfall. This is especially important if you're in a windy area.
Use snow fencing if you have no hedgerows or a windbreak close by, or build a loose fence of tree limbs and brush to stop drifting. Get your Water Capture Systems in Place Building berms and swales to guide heavy rainfall to areas that need it without flooding and erosion is an investment that will pay dividends. Soil conservation is an important benefit of capturing rainfall. Line the swale with grass or other plants, or make a dry streambed. Rain gardens will allow the water to slow down and prevent run off. Use a siltation pond to allow the sediment to settle before the water leaves your garden to prevent polluting of downstream water bodies. Safety and Maintenance Tips - Don't leave containers of water open for babies, pets or wildlife to fall in and drown.
- Keep containers covered with screens against mosquitoes - don't risk the West Nile virus, or heart worm in your dogs or yourself.
- Be aware of algae build up in the containers, some of it is toxic to pets or wildlife, as well as being unappealing to us.
- Use the water immediately if it's stagnant and putrid - put it on your compost pile!
- Winterize your water collection system by draining all buckets and rain barrels before cold weather arrives, as ice building up can split plastic or metal.
Using some smart systems to capture at least a little bit of water can ease the burden on our public water systems, plus the strain on your wallet. If you can use free water, and gravity to get it to where it has to go, you'll save money and the planet in one easy step.
Sustainability in your Garden
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What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
water catchment system
I use my gutters and downspouts to route all rain water to my garden. my whole plot of land is a giant water catchment system as my garden is at the base ...
water butts
I wrote a blog post on all kinds of 'water butts' or cisterns in my blog - 'serenity in the garden'....
love your site!
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Xeriscaping
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Drip Irrigation Systems
Dowsing for Water
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