The Power of Rain!

.

Having transplanted some Savoys, aut caulis, B sprouts and some hellebore seedlings just over a week ago, and with the soil bone dry down to trowel length, it was proving difficult to keep them alive.

Even though I was carrying 20 galls of water down and using it on each visit, the soil was still dust dry and the plants just sitting there.

Then came the rain on Friday evening, now the soil is wet and the plants are already growing bigger, so much for watering!

To gardeners we can survive drought, but to farmers and market gardeners it is their lively hood and there is not a lot they can do about it!

Cheers and more rain please!

 

Thats good news Makka,

I'd realised that hand watering wasn't getting deep enough, so i'd been concentrating efforts on things that were likely to bolt, pak choi, blubbing fennel etc.

Its not stopped raining all day here, really needed that as the trees have sucked the ground dry.

Lets hope its enough for the farmers too.

 

You're absolutely right Makka-Bakka. Nothing does the job quite like rain.
I have a sprinkler system and have to water my vegetables every day . It does quite a good job but when it rains everything just leaps up. We haven't had much rain here either this year.

 

I agree as when it rains you also get cooler humid conditions, so the rain has a greater effect than watering with a hose.

I do get the impression that most of us here dont water plants correctly.

A through soaking once a week is worth much more than the daily spraying I see going on.
I usually put the hose at the base of the plants concerned and leave it for about half an hour, very rarely use one of those spray things.

 

Here in East Yorkshire we desperatley need the rain..(never thought i'd hear myself saying that,always was a sun worshiper you see....got the wrinkles to prove it !!!) Our farmers need it more so...it's been persistantly pouring here most of the day so lets hope it does some good ...

 

Had stead rain all day here in Northants and the allotment is looking lively already:D
Dave

 

Rained steadily all day in Leicester - on my garden and on all the people attending our Open studio art event. You can't beat the British summer, eh?