I demand a hosepipe ban soon

No rain here for 9 weeks and no change to expect in the next weeks. There are already plans to think ahead by the government.
Three times in the past, a hosepipe ban was the starting point for an end of the drought and was followed by months of rain. I want a hosepipe ban hoping the secret weapon will do the trick again.

 

Interesting article @simone_in_wiltshire. I have been planting drought tolerant plants such as sedums and shrubby salvias, but they still need watering in.
As they're at the front of the house in full sun and very dry beds, I have been using a hosepipe, but I can see me carrying watering cans back and forth this summer. Good exercise if nothing else.

 

I certainly don't want months of rain, but I do remember in other dry springs recently that once the summer came along, early June, things changed.

Last spring was diabolical, wet and cold.
So as I always say, be careful what you wish for.

 

We certainly need some rain. I've not used a hosepipe for over 36 years, so, despite having a larger garden now, I intend to continue using a watering can, have drought resistant plants - or ask my OH to help.

 

Hello AnniD.
I also introduced tough measurements here. We are collecting excess water for the last three weeks, which gives me around 4 litres a day for the plants like the few newly planted drought resistant plants. I changed my plants to drought resistant after 2022, too. OH has been forbidden to plant vegetables.
I had to give the garden one shower a few days ago. I learned this during 2022 that a long shower of an hour once a monts for the 50 sqm reduced the use of water by 1/3 and this helped the plants to have a relief for at least one day.
But it’s the groundwater that causes the problem. We had so many damaged trees in our area in 2022 when the groundwater was down where established trees no longer got water.
A colleague in Milan complained about their rain, a friend in Spain complained about the rain, enough is enough. Their groundwater is filled after years of dry summers.
Statistics say that the day the hosepipe ban was introduced
2012: it started raining the very same day
2017: Birmingham it started raining
2022: it started raining and was the wettest Autumn and winter

 

Yes, mid June is the next point where weather can change and the jetstream finds its place for the 7 weeks ahead.

i wonder what causes that High to stay above us for that long time. Maybe some Chinese “weather balloons” have been sent to us.

 

We’ve been using our washing up water to water our pots for some weeks now. One of the advantages of not having a dishwasher is that we have more grey water available for the garden. I think we probably get around 8-10 gallons.

 

There is a massive dip in the jetstream mid Atlantic at the moment and there has been a section of jetstream in the Mediterranean, unusually.

Our usual luck is stuck under the dip when things get blocked, for once we are not maybe it's just our turn.

I wouldn't mind a slight shift in pattern though as the NE wind has really gone on long enough for me this year.
It's not unusual in spring.

 

I beginning to think that easterlies (including NE and SE) are becoming our prevailing wind directions.

I always notice when we have anything easterly as we get the full brunt on the back of our house. As that’s where most of our windows are we feel every cold draught. At night, with an easterly we can hear a low hum from the motorway traffic. We can also hear a low roar and singing whenever Aston Villa scores at home. This seems to happen far more frequently than our first few years here. Not very scientific but three indicators all the same

 

Fortunately there was a wet winter here so plenty of water in the deeper soil and established trees and shrubs shouldn't have too much of a problem. However new plantings and shallow rooted plants are requiring planting.
Normally the start of the school holidays results in rain.

 

Am hoping the next school holiday, half term, is sunny and dry as we will be on holiday with our granddaughter!

Easter was true to form and the weather here turned as soon as the schools broke up. Unfortunately it simply turned cold and dull but stayed dry except for the odd bit of drizzle. Most of which, except for one proper rain shower, failed to even register on my rain gauge. I’m not sure that “damp” qualifies. We have had a lot of heavy dews and that must have some benefit.

 

I don't really want a hose pipe ban, but if that's what it takes to get this horrible blocking high to move itself along and let some rain in, then I'm all for it.

 

Remember “Save water; bath with a friend”? it was maybe OK when you were both able to get in and out of one…

And a cartoon from the hose pipe ban of 1976 which I remember showed a man in his garden shouting to his wife “Quick! Run a bath. The tomatoes are wilting!”

 

The best humour has a grain of truth in it...
Why is it that when I was younger, the summers were perfect. Sunny all day, rain at night, and I hardly had to use a watering can in the garden ?