Trees require watering every three to four weeks during a drought. Mulches not only keep moisture in the soil, they also help with weed control, maintenance of even soil temperatures and erosion control. They also improve the look of the garden. Organic mulches include shredded newspapers, shredded wood and wood chips. Homeowners should be careful to prevent mulch from touching the plant stem or trunk.
Windscreens help reduce moisture loss by slowing air movement around plants.
Warm breezes rob plants of moisture by evaporating the layer of moisture near the leaf surface. This causes the plant to replace the layer with more water vapor from inside the leaf. Windbreaks modify the air movement for a distance of two times their height, slowing the wind movement and moisture loss. Gray water, water from baths and washing machines, can be saved and used to water plants if the soaps and detergents have been diluted enough for irrigation. Gray water should not be used on vegetables if there is a possibility that the water will come in contact with edible parts of the plant.