Our pick of eco-watering products

 Irrigation systems

An automated watering kit

can save you time but will also help you save water. They accurately release a controlled amount of water and can be used with a timer to give you absolute control, even when you’re not around.

Drip irrigation, which is useful in containers, is made up of a series of tubes attached to a hose held in the soil or compost with spikes. Water flows along the hose and is then dripped from a nozzle directly onto the root zone of the plant.

Trickle systems deliver small amounts of water via a ‘leaky’ hose that is snaked around plants, either on the soil surface or buried just below. Both are useful when you’re on holiday but also all year round for thirsty crops and plants.

Irrigation kits come in all sizes with many of their components sold individually so you can add to and customise your system.

Water butts come in all shapes and sizes, and some include planters An automated irrigation system ensures accurate waste-free watering

 Water butts

Water butts connected to the

down pipes from the roof of your house, shed, greenhouse or garage are an easy way to harvest and store rainwater, and ensure you use mains water as sparingly as you can.

Free standing, barrel-style butts are readily available from DIY stores and many are now made from recycled plastic for an environmentally friendly option.

Often supplied with a stand to make it easier to access the tap, they can take up a lot of room, so a wall-mounted butt is a good option in smaller gardens. Designed to attach to an external wall they are lightweight and as you decide their exact position, provide flexibility on the height of the tap. If space is more limited slimline butts are also available.

Most water butts are made from plastic, but steel and wooden designs are also an option, with more expensive butts shaped like water barrels or stone urns adding a decorative touch.

To make your water butt blend in or become a feature in its own right look for ones with integrated fountains or planters in the top, such as the one pictured left.

 Water butt pump

A water butt pump helps

you recycle the water you’ve collected in butts, tanks and paddling pools with a hose or irrigation system, rather than just a watering can.

Available as electric, either corded or cordless, the pump adds pressure to stored water saving you time and giving you the freedom you would get from a hose attached to the tap. Cordless pumps offer flexibility and eliminate the need for an outdoor power source, but you are tied to the run time of the battery.

With an electric corded pump make sure the cable will stretch to your outside plug otherwise you‘ll need to invest in an extension lead.

A pump with a timer is handy if you plan to connect to an irrigation system, and look for pumps that switch off automatically as water runs dry so you don’t damage the motor.

Manual pumps that rely on air pressure and gravity are also available, but these won’t have the same flow or spray projection as a pump.

Electric pumps enable stored water to be used through a hose

Watering kit suppliers

K hozelock.com K gardena.com/uk K Westland gardenhealth.com K Claber diy.com K bosch-diy.com K kaercher.com/uk K haws.co.uk K Evengreener.com K Water Butts Direct waterbuttsdirect.co.uk

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