Conserving water in a community kitchen garden in West London

Tough decisions

During the extreme heat, the group had to make some difficult decisions by choosing between plants to water and those to leave without, resulting in reduced yields. Vulnerable or young plants took priority over more mature or resilient species, such as figs and grapes, most of which survived. Some plants, such as raspberries and apples, shut down in the extreme heat but thrived later when the rain eventually came.

“If you cast your mind back… from May, for three and a half months, there was not a single drop of water in the garden, and stored water ran out very early in the growing season,” said Sally

Demonstrating best practice

Sally explained: “We want to educate our volunteers and the wider community with these workshops.” In the first sessions, she has spoken about the benefits of leaf mould in improving the soil’s capacity to hold water, advocated the use of water butts for storage, and focused on which plants to choose when thinking about water conservation. Future workshops will look at the density of planting to protect soil and watering techniques.

“By demonstrating best practice, the hope is that visitors will learn how to address issues around climate change and how to take practical steps to ensure their green spaces are more tolerant,” added Sally

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