Water is a precious commodity but without it, our gardens would be in a sorry state. If you have a water meter or a hosepipe ban, here are a few tips on the best ways to irrigate your garden while protecting the water reserves.

All plants need water, but fruit, vegetables, containers and new plants have the greatest need. Watering your garden must be done correctly to prevent wastage and to keep your plants alive. Established plants shouldn’t need watering, especially if they are native to your area. Newly planted areas, however, do need to be kept damp, but this can be avoided if you plant only in early spring or autumn, giving the new plants time to build a strong root system before summer arrives.

Fruit and vegetables will usually produce a crop of sorts without extra watering but obviously the yield will be bigger and healthier if you do drench them regularly. However, if it's the leaves that are to be harvested, the plant shouldn’t be allowed to dry out. If there’s a drought, you should be able to get away with just one good soaking two weeks before harvest time.

The knack of conserving water while keeping your garden healthy is a combination of factors that can be summarised in two parts: reduce water loss from your garden and make the most of the water you have.

Keep weeding! Weeds take precious moisture away from your plants, and this includes your lawn. And while on the subject of lawns, it’s recommended that you do not water your lawn at all as they require a huge, regular soaking to be effective. Grass will turn brown in particularly dry times, but will soon recover once rain comes.

Efficient and effective watering is most important for plant growth during the summer. Early morning or evening is best as there is less evaporation. If you have to use a hose, choose a good quality rubber one with a trigger and rose attachment. The trigger will allow you to control the water flow while the rose will provide the small droplets necessary to penetrate the earth more effectively without breaking up the surface crust which helps retain moisture.

Endeavour to apply water just to the base of the stem of specific plants, leaving the rest of the soil dry. This will limit weed growth and ensures the water reaches precisely where it’s most needed. Never just sprinkle everything with water as this will encourage roots to grow near the surface where they will be prone to severe damage if drought hits. It’s better to water less regularly and more thoroughly, giving each plant a proper soaking so the water reaches right down to the roots. ‘Ponding’ or ‘puddling’ is an effective way of keeping the water in the area for which it’s intended. This just means building a little earth wall around the base of the plant which works as a dam, preventing the water running across the surface of the soil.

Collecting and recycling water is very important now. Water butts are easier to access if you mount them on a platform of bricks so you can fit a bucket or watering can under the tap. You can buy kits to link several butts together so rain is diverted when one container is full.

Another trick is to recycle ‘grey-water’, which is water that has been used for washing. Soap and detergent is harmless to plants but don’t use it if bleach or disinfectant has been added. If you have an aquarium, use the water from this as it also contains a cheap, natural fertiliser. Collecting grey-water is easy if you set up a special system and preferable to carrying buckets up and down stairs all the time.

For a more advanced scheme, if you have the space and the money, you might consider building a special rain-tank in your garden. Take a look at the Rainwater Harvesting website for further details.