The Water Watch Fan Sprayer/Nozzle allows you to monitor your hose water use by the gallon as you water your garden, or wash your car, dog, gutters, etc. You attach the nozzle to your hose and as you spray the meter keeps track of your water consumption. Super cool! AND you could totally set goals using this, as in, “This week I’ll try to use so and so gallons.” Made of high-impact ABS and stainless steel and doesn’t need maintenance supposedly.

I love it. Actually I wish they made ones for sinks so you could monitor your in house water use as you go too, which unless I’m mistaken, doesn’t exist, but I’m going to check around. In any case, this tool got me thinking about other water saving tools you could try. Just in case the nozzle above doesn’t float your boat, some other ideas include…

Soil Moisture Meter Probe – helps you to determine if you actually need to water your plants or not.

Toro Rain Sensors save water by automatically shutting off your irrigation system when it rains. I’m wondering how that might fare in Oregon – that poor sensor would be going nuts.

Rain Barrel – saves water by conserving rain with which you can use to water your garden. You can get and install rain barrels for very little money nowadays or even make your own rain barrel.

Absorbing water crystals – Watersorb water crystal products can significantly reduce water use while dramatically improving plant survival and growth. Water crystals also reduce water runoff and soil erosion as a bonus.

Mulch – mulching well means you’ll water less no matter what you’re growing.

What are some of your favorite water saving tools in the garden?

Post from: Blisstree

Water Saving Gardening Tools

You can make your gardening adventures even more earth-friendly though by using recycled gear to your advantage. Bonus, using recycled items in the garden can save you money.

Recycled planters and ponds: Instead of buying new plastic or wood planters, use anything and everything as a planter. I’ve seen bathtubs, sinks, shopping carts, boots, wine barrels, soup pots, tea pots, coffee cans, and sooooooo much more used as planters and garden ponds. One great place for inspiration for recycled garden ponds is the ponds and fountains slide show from Cindees’ Garden.

Compost: This is the ultimate recycled garden item. Recycle old food, coffee, paper, egg shells, and more into usable free soil. Easy, recycled, and cheap!

Old tires: Old car tires (or really any old rubber) can be filled with soil and used as planters, shredded and sprinkled on the ground to be used as a garden bed or path border or used as a ground cover for a soft kid-friendly play area near your garden.

Plastic: Some companies are currently creating 100% recycled plastic rain barrels. Not only will a rain barrel serve to water your garden with recycled water, but you’re saving some plastic that might be destined for a landfill.

Toilet paper tubes: Make your own peat pots with toilet paper tubes or other recycled cardboard tubes. Of course you can also recycle old egg cartons for this as well.

Shiny recyclables: Old CDs, spoons, pie plates, and anything else shiny can be used to scare of birds who like to nibble your garden. Hang these items in a sunny spot or fix them to a post and when the sun shines on them they reflect and chase birds off.

Old windows: Old windows are often offered up for free at the junk yard or on craigslist and can be easily turned into a handy cold frame.

Bonus links: Make a cool recycled birdhouse for your garden with scrap wood and a coffee can or learn about some killer exterior home and garden projects that use reclaimed & recycled materials.

What other recycled garden gear ideas do you have?

[image via ponds and fountains slide show]

Post from: Blisstree

Recycled Gear for Greener Gardening

The University of Minnesota’s Eco-Palms program ensures the leaves were harvested in Mexico and Guatemala in an environmentally sensitive manner by workers getting paid a fair price, and organizers say they’re getting more orders than ever.

What began with just 22 churches in four states buying 5000 fronds has grown to include more than 2500 congregations in 49 states buying around 650,000 fronds.

Christians use palm frond on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, to depict the Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem just days before the crucifixtion and ressurection. Onlookers covered his path with palm fronds, indicating a dignitary was approaching.

(photo credit: Newscom)

Post from: Blisstree

Fair Trade Fronds for Palm Sunday