Save water in the garden with mulching

This technique helps prevent the soil from drying out. A mulch is just a layer of material placed on the surface of the soil that helps to stop weeds from growing; it prevents water evaporation from the soil and improves the quality of the soil.

It can be made from natural materials such as bark, cocoa shells, gravel, grass cuttings or straw. Flowerbeds that are mulched need considerably less water than those with bare soils. The thicker the mulch, the greater the savings: an ideal mulch depth of 10cm will make a huge difference.