Desperate for real rain

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Dave Brown
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Desperate for real rain

Post by Dave Brown »

This is NOT another weather topic, but a gardening one where growth levels here this year are not only affected by the cold spring, but also general lack of ground moisture. Rainfall levels are extremely local so some may be having the opposite problem, but for me I'm in drought at this time, with June rainfall currently at 9.4mm (0.37in), and Year to Date 202.44mm (7.97in) We were promised thundery downpours with localised flooding earlier in the week, but here I only received about 30 minutes of light rain, 0.51mm :roll:

June has not been particularly sunny, but very windy, and mostly from the cold, dry NE direction. This is desiccating plants and sucking moisture from the ground. Some plants are looking in distress and are being watered, but many are just not growing as fast as the temperatures would dictate. I've been watering the Colocasia bed daily over the last 2 weeks and growth has speeded up markedly, other areas not watered seem to be just marking time.

I know many people moaned like crazy about the wet summer last year, but boy did my garden do well in it. Much more lush and jungly than normal.

Questions

how are other areas doing this year ?
is rainfall normal ?
Is growth back to normal now after the cold spring ?

Please don't respond as just another weather blog, I want to know how your gardens are growing :wink:
Best regards
Dave
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Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
multim

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by multim »

Here in South Bucks.
Plant growth reasonably good except the lawn.
June rainfall to date = 1.36 ins. .85 in fell on the 15th, .32 in fell on the 22nd.
Mostly cloudy, windy and annoyingly calm and clear at night.
Mr List

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by Mr List »

plenty damp here
Deedee

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by Deedee »

Slow growing here Dave because of lack of rain, we usually have more than most.. rained last 2 nights and today so i should see a growth spurt :mrgreen: I wish i could stay out of the garden for a couple of days to see the spurt but i can't, im checking morning, noon and night :D hub said, nothing would grow overnight surely but im sure they do, Trex TF etc..
cordyman

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by cordyman »

how are other areas doing this year ? Dry icon_cheers

is rainfall normal? 11 day stretch with no rain, at the start of June, 5 day stretch with no rain before yesterday, so super dry.

LTA here for june 66.1mm

Image



To date, with 1 week to go 18.75mm :shock:

Image


Is growth back to normal now after the cold spring ?

Yes everything is doing really well, bamboo's doubled last years height, Dicksonia antarctica fully flushed, trachys all moving, Musa's visably each day, T-rex daily, ensetes moving, although I am watering the garden everynight for around 20 minutes, as I combine it with a potter.

I'd say looking at current growth you'd have never known we went through such a cool Spring. Although I have no doubt if I wasn't watering nightly, the lawn would be patchy, and everything behind.
kata

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by kata »

Plenty rain here

Gimmie some icon_sunny
Wilza

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by Wilza »

Same in Norfolk Dave, all the storms and bands of rain have fizzled before it's got here. What we have had has blown over quickly...
Nathan

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by Nathan »

Yes not had much rain here & this weekend which was forecast to be a washout has been dry apart from some light rain during the early hours of Saturday...

The June total here currently stands at 18.3 mm, (which is mainly thanks to a couple of days, one where we had a thunderstorm), the LTA here for June is 40.0 mm...

June 2012 I recorded 118.1 mm!! :shock:

Everything is still growing well though as I have been out wth the hose every couple of days icon_thumleft
miketropic

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by miketropic »

If I knew where to look I would tell you total rainfall for this year Dave. Since I don't I'll just go on what I know. "spring" if you want to call it that was a it cooler here also but very very wet. I had some things rotting from all the water. once it moved into may it started our summer and it has been hot since..Since the first of June it had been around 30-32C every day. this has also put us in a drought. I have to water every day or the soil will start to crack and dry up. Since I water daily this hasent effected the garden very much. I am actually getting better growth than last year. I'm not sure if this is due to my bulk fertalizing or the constant water I am giving them. I have had cannas flowering already. colocasia are putting out runners and the castor beans are putting out monster size leaves. so I guess as long as the water bill dosent get out of hand I will say this is a good year in the garden. some of he slower things have been the dunax cane, tetrapanix, Fatsia and a few bananas but they are moving a bit more now. I have always said real rain beats the hose water every time.
Blairs

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by Blairs »

17mm over May to date, so have been watering daily. Been sunny if not warm (max of 22C!). Good to have the garden dry out after the last years pouring. Has been good to dig over my borders as they have been compacted and the drying out has helped.
flounder

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by flounder »

Ground seems constantly damp, good for the gunnera! The desiccating wind is doing most damage to large leaved plants. At least it's tidying up the cordylines for me
miketropic

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by miketropic »

flounder wrote:Ground seems constantly damp, good for the gunnera! The desiccating wind is doing most damage to large leaved plants. At least it's tidying up the cordylines for me

poor gunnera our hot temps sent it to plant heaven even in deeep shade with constant moisture.
flounder

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by flounder »

Right. Grow gunnera or have a proper summer every year......hmm icon_sunny icon_sunny icon_sunny
fern Rob

Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by fern Rob »

spells of rain every day for the last week.
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Dave Brown
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Re: Desperate for real rain

Post by Dave Brown »

They forecast showers this afternoon, we've had 2 so far. The first a 16 spit shower, the second was heavier, 24 spits :(
Best regards
Dave
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