Vegetable gardening during a drought: 5 tips from a pro

Even though stage 1 water restrictions came into effect this weekend, you can still have a healthy vegetable garden, says one gardening expert.

LauraDohenyis a master gardener and manager at Hunters Garden Centre in Vancouver and she shared her tips for smart watering onCBC'sThe Early Edition.

1. Start by taking care of your soil

Dohenysaid the most important thing you can do for a garden that is suffering from drought is to addmulch eithergrass clippings, pine needles or bark mulch.

"A two to three inch layer ofmulchcan reduce your watering by up to 50 per cent in drought condition," she said, because by protecting a layer of the soil the water doesn't evaporate as quickly.

2. Plantdrought resistant vegetables

Vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and squash don't need as much water, saidDoheny.

If you're looking for something more exotic,quinoais also a good option.

"You get a very good high yield out of it and it's also droughttolerant," she said.

3. Plantleafyvegetablesearlier

Dohenyadvises planting leafy vegetables like kale and lettuce early in the season.

Leafyvegetables require a lot of water but because of the early warm spells those vegetables could be planted as early as late March.

4.Watering frequency and methods

Deep watering for vegetablegardens should take place two to three times a week for five to 10 minutes if done by hand, she said.

Dohenysaid make sure to water underneath the leaves of the vegetables.

She also suggests using rain barrels or grey water to water your plants.

5. Take advantage of clay plots

Clay pots that are half-buried in the soil are a great way to save water, saidDoheny.

"Fill it up with water....and because the clay isporous, the water slowly leaks out through the clay and just keeps thesurroundingareas nice and moist."

She also recommends planting in containers, and that way you can move them into the shade to help conserve water.

With files from the CBC's The Early Edition andSamantha Garvey.

To hear the full story listen to the audio labelled:Gardening during a drought: 5 tips from a master gardener