These Are the Must-Have Tools for the Ultimate Low-Water Garden
We all want to save water in our gardens, but how? These products will make it oh-so easy.
Deanna Kizis
This article is part of our new 8-week, limited edition newsletter series, The Low-Water Gardening Guide, where we’ll walk you through what it takes to create a sustainable garden, from swapping in the appropriate plants to new irrigation methods to the tools you’ll need and more. Sign up here to get each installment straight to your inbox.
Despite the heavy rain of late, when it comes to gardening in the West, we all want to save water. In fact, according to the University of California Center for Landscape and Urban Horticulture, landscape irrigation accounts for approximately 50% of the state’s annual residential water consumption. When looking at a number like that, one could be tempted to take out a garden altogether and opt for something all-concrete, but that’s not the answer, thank goodness. After all, gardens provide animal habitat, cool our cities, do double-duty as erosion control, and so much more.
Nevertheless, “With the aridification of the West, where the region has become drier over time, it’s crucial to responsibly manage the water we have,” says Amanda Begley, TreePeople’s Associate Program Manager for Water Equity in Los Angeles. “So if we can conserve water on our landscapes, we can make a big impact on water savings.”
The question is how? Well, we’ve got some big ideas for how you can create a low-water garden. Below are eight products that will help you save water—and time—while doing right by your plants.
Manage Your Water Use with These Tools
1 /8Courtesy of Oya
Garden Watering Pot
These porous clay pots from Oya deliver the exact right amount of water precisely where it’s needed—at your plant’s roots. An ancient form of irrigation (it’s still up for debate whether pots like this originated in China or North Africa), you bury them in your vegetable garden, then fill the pot with water and cap it with the silicone lid. You save water due to less evaporation, and your plant’s roots will grow towards the pot which ups the efficiency even more.
Oya Watering Pot, from $35
2 /8Courtesy of Lowes
Soaker Hose
A porous soaker hose slowly releases water at your plant’s roots and reduces water use and evaporation. They’re perfect for flower beds, vegetable gardens, and landscaping.
Element Rubber Black Soaker Hose, $16
3 /8Courtesy of Lowes
Soaker Hose Faucet Timer
The Orbit hose faucet simple set timer turns a soaking hose into a timed system. To use it, you set the timer for when you want to water (every third day for eight minutes, for example) and go. Not only will you save water, you’ll also save yourself from forgetting to do it and ending up with a garden full of dead plants. Have more than one soaker hose? Not to worry, these timers can be purchased with up to four ports.
Orbit 1 Output Port Digital Hose End Timer, $35
4 /8Courtesy of Amazon
Organic Straw Mulch
This is a personal favorite when it comes to my own vegetable garden. The straw insulates the soil and keeps it cool, while also discouraging weeds. One tip: You don’t have to buy straw online—if you have a lot of raised beds, save money and buy a large straw bale from your local feed and tack store.
Blue Mountain Hay Organic Garden Straw, $48
5 /8Courtesy of Amazon
Watering Bag
A slow-release watering bag from Treegator will provide water to a newly planted tree for five to nine hours, and you refill it every five to seven days. The result is very little runoff or evaporation while it saturates your tree’s roots, which reduces transplant shock for your new tree. For established trees, you can still use Treegator—just zip two together, fill it, and go.
Treegator Original Slow Release Watering Bag for Trees, $28
6 /8Courtesy of Wyze
Smart Sprinkler Controller
Hold the phone—your cellphone, that is. This smart sprinkler controller from Wyze uses an app that syncs with the weather forecast so you’ll never have to wake up at six in the morning and realize you didn’t turn off your garden water timer while it’s raining again. Plus, you can easily control how much you want to water from anywhere, be it the office or, even better, a beach on Maui.
Wyze Sprinkler Controller, $59
7 /8Courtesy of Amazon
Moisture Meter
Perfect for indoors and out, this XLUX soil moisture meter has a 40 cm long probe so you can reach deep into the soil and find out if it’s wet or dry. Honestly, it couldn’t be simpler to use, and you’ll never have to play the guessing game again.
XLUX Soil Moisture Meter, $15
8 /8Courtesy of Amazon
Vegetable Garden Drip Kit
Raindrip has everything you need to install drip irrigation in your raised bed, planter boxes, plant rows, and flower beds. By delivering water directly to your plants, as opposed to spraying it from a hose or sprinkler system, this will help you save water and put that H2O exactly where it’s needed.
Raindrip Drip Watering Vegetable Garden Kit, $25
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