Rainwater collecting tips and tricks to keep plants lush

Regular watering — not too much, not too little — is important for all plants. Collecting rainwater in a barrel or cistern for use during dry spells is an ancient practice that can be used by anyone today, even if you have only a small vegetable garden.

• Look at a plant's leaves to see if it needs a lot of water or only a little.
• Small, leathery, thorny, shiny or fleshy leaves indicate a low need for water, as do leaves with a wax-like layer on them. Plants in a stone garden or Mediterranean plants do fine without a lot of water, as do ivy, amaranth, nasturtium, sage, French marigold and zinnia.
• Plants with soft, large or thin leaves, on the other hand, tend to be thirsty, as do all blooming plants and those with solid root balls and shallow root systems.

Collecting rainwater is not only an earth-friendly practice, it is better for your plants than using tapwater, which may contain small traces of bleach. Most plants tolerate rainwater better than water from a spring or a tap — collected rainwater is usually warmer and free of fluoride, chlorine and lime. Water that is high in lime leaves white spots on the leaves.

• Keep water clear by occasionally adding a little charcoal or activated carbon (for use in aquariums) to the barrel.
• Cover rain barrels and above-ground cisterns so that small animals can't get in.
• In an underground tank, the water doesn't evaporate and no algae forms. But you do need a pump that connects to your garden hose in order to distribute the water.

• Rake the soil regularly, including in the furrows for the plants. Loosening the soil allows water easier access to a plant's roots.
• After a heavy summer rain, loosen up the soil only on the surface; otherwise the moisture in the soil will evaporate too quickly.
• Lay a layer of mulch to hold the moisture in the soil longer and prevent your plants from getting thirsty too quickly.

1. Dig a hole about 15 centimetres (six inches) deep next to a plant that needs lots of water.
2. Place a flowerpot of the right size into the dug hole, drain hole downward, and cover it with a plate or piece of plastic.
3. Fill with water at regular intervals. It will trickle slowly into the earth and reach the roots directly.