Supplemental water needs to reach plant roots, not their foliage. Other than standing with hose in hand, directing the flow at the ground around each plant, drip irrigation systems are the most effective in achieving this goal. Directed watering also conserves water. If you can install this kind of system, you're ahead of the game. If you can't, then try to water in the early morning hours, when evaporation is lowest. Of course, if a plant is wilting, water it - no matter what time of day or night it is.
When droughts hit, often domestic water supplies are limited. Wells run low or municipalities impose water restrictions. When this happens, gardeners start turning their minds to other water sources such as graywater. Graywater isn't potable, but it also isn't sewage. It comes from the bath, shower, washing machine and bathroom sink. If the washing machine is a source, selection of washing detergents has to be carefully considered. While pure soaps don't hurt most plants, harsh detergents can. Most jurisdictions have regulations concerning the use of graywater - and few are very enlightened about it. If you find it impossible to set up a graywater system because of local regulations, you can resort to dipping pails of bath water to use on your most needy plants.
Mulches
One of the prime things we can do to help our plants through hot, dry times is mulch. Almost any organic material can be used, including newspaper, cardboard and even old carpeting or rugs made from cotton or wool. The one thing to remember is that mulch must be applied to moist soil, otherwise it will act as a wick and draw moisture away from your plants. I always water the ground thoroughly, if there has been no recent rain, and then water the mulch after it's applied.
To be effective, mulches need to be applied at least two inches (5 cm) thick - be sure to keep them away from plant stems.
Inorganic materials, such as the pea gravel shown here, are also effective as mulches for the purpose of keeping underlying soil cool and retaining moisture. They don't provide any ultimate soil improvement as organic mulches do when they decompose. Gravel mulches are particularly good for plants who resent soggy organic materials around their stems and crowns - alpines and plants of Mediterranean origin fall into this category.
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