Growing vegetables with no water

Growing vegetables here in the Catalonian mountains is as much an adventure as it is a practice in patience, creativity, and heat tolerance! With the sun blazing down and water being a precious resource, we’ve had to get crafty. The kids—my tireless little helpers—are out here with me, knee-deep in straw and laughing as we transform our garden into a water-savvy, sun-defying, veggie-producing paradise. They’re getting their hands dirty, learning as we go, and hopefully absorbing all the little lessons that make growing food in this wild, wonderful way possible.

The first trick we figured out was how to keep the soil as cool and hydrated as possible with just a bit of water. After a big, satisfying planting day, we covered the soil with nearly a foot of straw—yes, a whole foot! The straw is like a cosy blanket, but for the plants, it’s more of a lifesaver. That straw traps any hint of moisture in the soil and keeps the sun from baking it to a crisp. And, while my daughters loved the idea of playing in a haystack, they quickly figured out it had a purpose too: once the plants were well-watered to start, that straw would work some serious magic, letting us get by with the smallest sips of water throughout the season.

When we talk about "watering" here, it’s a little different. Since water is like liquid gold, we give our plants only what’s been recycled. After a good (but short!) shower or a session scrubbing dishes, that water, lightly soapy and all, goes right to the plants. It’s a brilliant system—no water wasted! Of course, we’re mindful about the soaps we use, choosing natural ones that won’t harm our growing veg, and I take the chance to tell them about how every part of the garden’s care has to be natural, so we don’t damage our soil or the food we’re working to grow.

With so much sun, we also had to think about shade. Enter olive nets! These simple nets cast just enough shade over the plants to keep them from wilting under the midday heat, letting them focus on growing strong. Tomatoes, aubergine, and peppers—plants that love the heat but prefer a bit of protection here—have thrived under these nets. And for the thirstier crops, we chose only those that could handle the heat without needing a water festival every other day.

Some of our stars are drought-tolerant wonders like tomatoes, courgette, chard, and aubergine. They’re hardy enough to keep growing even with limited water, and they keep our table looking colourful. Carrots and beetroot were a nice surprise too; they root deep enough to find what little water there is and pack a punch at dinnertime.

Harvest time in the garden is pure magic. After a season of carefully conserving water, nurturing each plant, and keeping the pests at bay, we pick these beautiful, fresh veggies that go straight from soil to kitchen. Nothing beats a fresh tomato or a zucchini cooked the same day it’s harvested, still warm from the sun. The girls help with the picking, and when they bite into something they helped grow, they light up—it’s priceless. Even just washing off the dirt feels like a celebration of what we made happen together, as a family.

Living and gardening this way—where every drop of water is a gift, every vegetable is a little victory—is a constant reminder of what it means to live close to the land. We’re not just growing food; we’re growing memories, skills, and resilience. And someday, I hope my daughters will take all of this knowledge with them, along with the dirt under their nails and the love for growing things, wherever they go.