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With the warm weather set to continue, United Utilities is offering advice to its ‘green fingered’ customers.

By taking a few steps, gardeners can not only help to maintain their gardens but also help to save water and reduce their bills.

Fit a water butt to collet rainwater – we often get thunder storms in the summer months and rainwater is an excellent choice for plants, saving hundreds of litres of water (and money if you’re on a water meter).
Where and when to water – watering a garden when it’s cooler in the morning or evening will help reduce evaporation from the surface of the soil and the plants will use water more efficiently if watered during cooler parts of the day. As plants only use take water through their roots, direct where it’s needed at the roots, not over the leaves.
Use a watering can – give flowers a drink from a watering can instead of a hose pipe. Water flow is also slower and can be aimed at the stem to the roots beneath foliage, reducing the chance of water being wasted on the surrounding soil or on leaves and flowers.
Types of plants – drought resistant plants like lavender, rosemary and succulents are great for sunnier weather and require much less water. Planting the right flowers in a garden can make a huge difference on your garden and the water you use.
Paddling pools – If you choose to fill up a paddling pool, save water by filling it up half way. You can even cover them when they are not in use to prevent evaporation, and once you’re finished why not reuse the water on your garden?
Re-use water – save water from washing salad, fruit and veg to use in the garden.

When the rain does return, why not put it to good use by installing a water butt. You could save thousands of litres of water throughout the year by installing one.

Rose Francis, Campaign Manager at United Utilities, said: “We’re all enjoying the recent warm weather but as it continues over an extended period, even with short bursts of rain, we know customers with gardens can worry about them drying out which can lead to increased water usage. By being mindful about how much water they use and following a few simple steps, green fingered customers can not only save water and money but also help maintain their gardens.”

More tips can be found here: https://www.unitedutilities.com/help-and-support/save-water/