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It's Blue August here at Planet Green, so of course our minds are on all things water. Gardeners have a huge role to play in water conservation, and sometimes the smallest things can make a big difference.
For instance, look at how we water our gardens. A gardener who uses gray water when possible, comes up with creative ways to collect rain water, mulches heavily and grows a water-wise lawn (or no lawn at all!) has a much smaller impact than a gardener who just kind of runs on autopilot and sets the sprinkler system to run for thirty minutes twice per week.
With that in mind, here is a quick tip for using less water by making use of something you'd normally throw down the drain.
When you boil potatoes, pasta, or vegetables, don't just pour the water down the sink when you're done. Let it come down to room temperature, then use it to water your potted plants or garden beds. In addition to the water, your plants will also get a little bit of a nutrient boost from the vitamins and minerals that the vegetables have left behind in the cooking water.
A few tips for success with this method: 1. Don't heavily salt the water -- excess salt can damage plants and soil health. 2. Don't use water that you've added oil to (for those who add olive oil to pasta cooking water). It will turn rancid and possibly attract pests. 3. You won't want to use this method for houseplants.There is a tiny bit of an odor, especially if you boiled cruciferous vegetable such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. This isn't a problem outdoors, but most people don't want their homes to smell like broccoli.
I like to say that there are no small actions, only small mindsets. Each and every action we take toward water conservation is important. Watering your plants with water that was destined for the drain just makes good water-wise sense.
