After one of the worst snow years on record in the western United States, communities must live with less water. Around this time of year, home gardeners are starting to grow their own produce as utilities enact outdoor watering restrictions. Many of those rules don’t apply to the food you grow, but people can make conscious choices to use less water as they garden in an increasingly arid climate. Experts share tips about ways to reduce water use in your edible garden, while still enjoying its abundance.

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FILE - Bleached coral is visible at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, off the coast of Galveston, Texas, in the Gulf of Mexico, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

People visit the world-renowned Dutch flower garden and showcase, the Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

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A lushly planted strawberry pot serves as a focal point in a succulent garden in Sacramento, Calif., on March 30, 2026. (Luz Yuhas via AP)