Water is a precious resource that is becoming scarcer in many regions and is therefore also expensive, and it is important to use it as sparingly as possible. Nevertheless, during long periods of drought in both vegetable and ornamental gardens, it is essential to apply water if the harvest and flowering are not to be foregone. In addition to the pure water requirements of the plants, it should also be noted that nutrients can only be broken down into a form that is available to the plants if the soil is sufficiently moist. In order to keep water consumption as low as possible - this is especially true when using tap water - various measures should be taken: those that reduce water requirements in the first place, as well as the use of the right irrigation strategies that ensure the greatest possible benefit for the plants.

During long periods of drought, even the hardiest flower cannot do without additional watering. And in your kitchen garden, some plants, such as tomatoes, even crave water. But even if you want to run a vegetable garden and harvest well, you can use some helpful strategies to get by with little(er) water.

• Do not water in strong sunlight or in high winds - again, most of the water would evaporate unused or drift away even before it can penetrate the soil. In addition, sprinkling in full sun can cause leaf burn because the water droplets act like a burning magnifying glass. For some vegetable plants, the temperature difference between cold water and heated leaves also leads to growth stagnation.
• The best time of day for watering is therefore the evening, especially in summer, when the sun is already lower. This will prevent leaf burn, yet still allow the leaves to dry so they are not threatened by fungal attack overnight. If you are struggling with voracious slugs in your beds, you can also switch to early morning watering. And one more small, but helpful tip to end on a good note: If you are not sure when the irrigation was really penetrating - in dry soil 7 to 10 l/sq.m. is a good guideline. This corresponds to a rainfall of about 7 to 10 mm. Also, set up a rain gauge in your garden to get a feel for rainfall amounts and their effect on the soil (just test carefully with a spade after the rain how deeply the soil has been soaked).

In some years, the spring months of April and May are already rather summery warm; noteworthy precipitation is then hardly recorded. Especially in a sun-drenched garden, you then quickly have to lament withered losses or have to water tirelessly - unless you adapt the planting of your ornamental garden to the climatic conditions. This is not even as difficult as it sounds - for example, we have compiled for you perennials that naturally survive such dry periods well - and many additionally provide an excellent food source for bees, butterflies and many other insects. Another advantage that should not be underestimated is that slugs prefer to ignore most of these plants - in our range you will also find many other ornamental plants that tolerate drought and heat well. You don't even have to do without the rose, the classic of every ornamental garden. Rose lovers appreciate our historic rose varieties and native wild roses: They are usually far hardier and easier to care for than modern cultivars. At the same time, they delight with a much more intense fragrance and an abundance of blossoms in a wide spectrum of colors and shapes. Wild fruit hedges are of equally high ornamental value and at the same time of great ecological importance. Rock pear, blackthorn or cornelian cherry, which we offer in our shrub packages, among others, make only low demands on location and climate; they are robust and hardy. Wild fruit hedges also provide safe shelter for animals and produce tasty, vitamin-rich fruits that are a nutritious addition to the menu for humans and animals. The undemanding plants include, for example, the goji berry, which proves to be extremely wind-resistant and tolerant of heat and drought.