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This April is shaping up to be a dry one. I’m feeling the effects already as a gardener in Birmingham, Alabama. A quick peek at the U.S. Drought Monitor’s current map reveals that I’m not alone.
Much of the country falls somewhere between “abnormally dry” and “exceptional drought” right now—not ideal for prime spring planting season. Even drought-tolerant selections and native plants suited to your climate need water to get established when they’re newly planted.
Luckily, I have a trick up my sleeve, and I’ve been using it to help keep my outdoor plants well-watered for the past year. I use recycled water in the garden whenever I can. In the kitchen, I rinse vegetables over a bowl and wash lettuce in the salad spinner, using the runoff water to hydrate herbs and houseplants. But my biggest source by far is my shower.
I live in an old house where it seems to take at least two minutes for the shower water to warm up. That’s a lot of fresh water—and money—down the drain. Yes, we could move our water heater or get an instant electric one for the bathroom, but frankly, a 5-gallon bucket was the more affordable option.
Now, every night before showering, we place the bucket under our rain-style shower head to collect the water while it heats up. The next day, we use that water in the garden.
Charlyne Mattox for Country Living
On average, we gather between 2.5 and 3.75 gallons per day. That means in any given month, we collect between 75 and 116 gallons of water. On the high end, that could equal about $10 a month in savings. That might not seem like much, but over the course of the year it adds up. Plus, I like not being wasteful, even when drought and potential watering restrictions aren’t looming.
If you think this trick is only for the warm seasons, think again. It benefits my garden well into the cool seasons. Contrary to popular belief, plants do use water in the winter. You just shouldn’t water when the ground is frozen or temperatures are freezing (above 40 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal).
During winter dry spells, an occasional soaking once or twice a month from the shower bucket can give perennial plants, shrubs, and trees a needed boost of hydration, especially newer plantings that aren’t established yet. Or, you could put that saved water toward a fall vegetable garden.
Will you try this water-saving shower trick, or do you have other water-saving tips to share? Let me know in the comments.
Additional reporting by Terri Robertson.
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