A hosepipe ban to include Sussex has been announced today by South East Water… And yet some gardens do not yet possess a water butt. Or perhaps there’s that token one in a corner, abandoned, clearly seen better days — no longer hooked to a downpipe, the lid long blown away and holding the fetid remains of water and detritus, and perhaps a decomposing animal. You know what I mean. I wonder whether it’s a combination of not having the time as we live the frenetic dream, believing it’s too tricky a task to buy the kit that’s required and install it ourselves or that there’s no obvious place to put the butt (and let’s face it, not many of them are particularly attractive unless you go full on high end with the beehive design or the Cretan urn). Or could it be that we are just so connected to the tap that old habits die hard?
Whatever the reason, did you know rain water is actually better for your plants and a healthier soil? Tap water contains chlorine and other chemicals which will harm soil microbes keeping the soil in balance. Rainwater also has a pH which is better suited to most plants, particularly acid loving plants such as camellias and rhododendrons. Rain water also carries with it microorganisms from the atmosphere which help make up a healthy soil.
So if you do one thing for your garden this summer, get on top of your rain harvesting if you’ve not done so already. The horse may have already bolted for now, but please do the rain dance and wait for that deluge to come.
Ps. I will gladly source and install for you, if you would like the help.
Garden Regeneration 