Talkback: A dry spring - Talkback

06/05/2011 at 12:37

Hi. Its hard to imagine your plight here, as it has rained quite more than average. Those lucky Scots are more like what we have here. Anyhow I am glad you find some alternate ways to keep things blooming. It helps me to feel grateful for the rain. Thanks for ssharung your garden tips it's always interesting to read how you're keeping up.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/05/2011 at 12:53

Bristol too is suffering drought. The wildlife which seems to be holding up best are the slow-worms in my "Green Daleks" - plastic composter, but then I keep adding lush green compost to them. There are innumerable young ones. I am used to tripping over robins keen for worms when I am weeding but this year blackbirds and ied wagtails have joined them and the young blackbirds wait around till I replenish the birdbaths. If you have a water meter like i do it makes financial sense too, Kate, to use every scrap of grey water, either to water discreetly, perhaps pots, or to clean pots after potting on. The weather men keep promising us water that never appears, it seems, but it must come some time.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/05/2011 at 13:29

yup it had been quite hot n dry up in scotland southwest for a couple of weeks spesh for my pumpkinpatch seedlings but the clay soil retains water well (as long as the ants havent turned it to sandy concrete) i just got the gardenhose out at dusk once a day

Gardeners' World Web User

06/05/2011 at 18:13

It's really dry here in Dublin too, even though we had a couple of tiny showers. We were harvesting rocks from the flower beds today (some of them have a layer of rubble about 6" down), and we dug down about a foot. The soil is bone dry.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/05/2011 at 18:49

VERY DRY HERE IN EAST YORKSHIRER NO RAIN ALL MONTH. LOADS OF MALE BLACK BIRDS NO FEMALES.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/05/2011 at 18:56

Have been watering the garden almost every day, but still having some of the new plants I have planted drying up and shrivelling. It is so dry.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/05/2011 at 19:16

You are not kidding! The variegated holly bush in my garden has a lot of berries on it just now. It usually fruits near Xmas. Is this unusual ?

Gardeners' World Web User

07/05/2011 at 07:35

I bet they heard the cheers when I got up this morning at the top of our long road! We had a shower in Bristol through the night. Not enough to give me some water in my butts but enough to freshen everything up. The potatoes,leeks and broad beans look inches taller. Must have been your rain prayer, Kate. Keep praying.

Gardeners' World Web User

07/05/2011 at 07:52

My goodness that was quick!! I forced myself in from the delights of easier weeding to have my breakfast porridge and to collect a cardigan as i fancied it was marginally getter cooler and, as soon as i stepped indoors, the rain came. Substantial too. i can hear it hitting the chimney lining for the gas fire. Three cheers everyone, especially horticulturists growing carrots and parsnips for next winter.

Gardeners' World Web User

07/05/2011 at 08:17

It's raining. How did you do that Kate?

Gardeners' World Web User

07/05/2011 at 09:28

yippppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,,,,,, the heavens have opened and my its raining..... good for my turfs i layed yesterday...the rest of my garden seems to be adifferant shade of green this morning must be cause of mother natures rain on there leaves.....

Gardeners' World Web User

07/05/2011 at 11:35

I was happy to discover that it had rained too, this morning. I could smell it first, it was wonderful. Still just a couple of showers, but enough for now!!

Gardeners' World Web User

07/05/2011 at 14:10

It is raining now 1505 I live near Durham, we have had very little rain. We have more male black birds then females and the males are fighting, and even attacking the cats.

Gardeners' World Web User

07/05/2011 at 19:08

Heavy rain finally arrived in Devon last evening, the smell of damp earth and the sound of water running into my empty water butts was wonderful. The only problem was that it brought out all the slugs and snails which I had to gather up and dispose of last night and early this morning. I have beer traps set up for them this evening!

Gardeners' World Web User

08/05/2011 at 00:08

Down here in Somerset we have had very little rain recently and have been completely dry for at least a month maybe longer.... This year I sowed lots of seeds and planted summer bulbs etc in pots which combined with our raised vegetable beds drained the last drop of water out of our three water butts two weeks ago! Last night and today we have had torrential rain so I bought another large water butt this morning and spent this afternoon putting up guttering around the shed and connecting all of the butts up to this and the houses down pipes....hopefully they will all be full in the morning....oh I also have out two old dustbins, my daughter's paddling pool and about a dozen buckets!! http://higgysgardenproject.blogspot.com/

Gardeners' World Web User

08/05/2011 at 08:35

We were having our Horticultral plant sale on Saturday and friday every one was praying it didn't rain as the sale was to be held outside, low and behold it bucketed down in the night, I held my hands up and said thank you God, luckily it stopped before the sale and they had the best day ever.Saturday in the middle of the night it rained again, so another thankyou to the heavens.

Gardeners' World Web User

08/05/2011 at 09:47

we have a local steam rally this time of year and it ALWAYS rains. sure enough we woke up to a light shower on Saturday and it's rained in the night last night. Note to self - don't try to fix the loose guttering on your extension in the rain! I got soaked in minutes (lolz)

Gardeners' World Web User

08/05/2011 at 13:43

Good to have Monty back

Gardeners' World Web User

08/05/2011 at 18:00

I am glad Monty Don is back. Wish I had him in my garden, as I have let go to weeds. Soooooo much to do.

Gardeners' World Web User

08/05/2011 at 21:29

We hsve had 2 nights and days of lovely, lovely rain and all my 5 water barrels are full again plus the overflow bins. Everything seems to have shot up overnight - including the weeds but at least they are easier to pull up when the ground is wet. Like you Kate I find the easiest way to recycle my grey water is to dunk the water can in the bath - fortunately my bathroom is downstairs so not too far to carry it. I too am glad Monty is back - he was talking about losing bay trees this year as I have - it turned all brown and I had already cut it back it looked past saving so I gave up hope and bought a new baby one. Monty says it should come back so I had a close look and sure enough there are a few new green shoots so fingers crossed!