Water wisely

Give plants a good soak at two or three day intervals, rather than a little everyday.

Always water your plants in the cool of the evening or very early in the morning, rather than during the day, to prevent water evaporating from the ground before it reaches the roots.

Stand pots on a layer of moist gravel to help improve humidity – this is useful to do with houseplants as well.

Prevent evaporation by using organic or inorganic mulches to reduce water loss from the ground through evaporation. Terracotta pots, containers and hanging baskets can be lined with plastic to help prevent moisture loss.

Add water-retaining granules to compost when planting in pots, hanging baskets or other containers. The roots of the plants grow around the saturated granules to draw moisture as they need it.