Top tips for watering :

You can reduce the need to water quite so often and save yourself some time by preventing water loss.

• Mulching with a layer of organic matter will help preserve moisture but may encourage slugs so you will need to take action against them.
  
• Another good method of preventing water loss is to hoe. This not only kills the weeds but breaks up the top of the soil stopping water from being drawn to the surface by capillary action and evaporating.
  
• Make the best use of water by concentrating it on the plants that most need it, such as squashes, salads, turnips and Swedes
  
• Raise the cutting height of the blades on your mower during hot dry spells to keep it green without watering , and avoid watering the lawn, except a new lawn, in very long dry spells.
  
• Water in the early morning or evening. If you water during mid-day half the water will evaporate.
  
• When planning your garden, choose plants with similar water needs and plant them together. This way, you are not planting water-hogging impatiens next to dryland plants and trying to keep them both happy at the same time. Keep the water lovers in the wetter exposures of your garden or near your garden hose.
  Drought-tolerant plants can be grouped in areas farther from your sources of water. Moisture-loving plants include Louisiana and Japanese irises, foamflowers, marsh marigolds, Solomon's seal, sweet flag, horsetails, swamp hibiscus, cardinal flower, hostas, mosses, and ferns.
  
• Avoid watering disease-susceptible plants at night. (See list left). If water sits on plant foliage for hours, it can encourage fungal diseases to attack leaves, buds, flowers, and fruit. Plants susceptible to leaf spots, fruit rots, and flower blights are best watered in the morning, when the warming sun will quickly dry off the leaves and discourage fungus development