Author Topic: First real rain for months but it was not enough  (Read 2998 times)

Digeroo

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First real rain for months but it was not enough
« on: July 22, 2017, 23:21:35 »
It finally rained yesterday for about 6 hours.  And more rain today,

Went to allotment to plant out some purple sprouting, and when I dug a hole it was dry as a bone about 4-5 inches down. 


strawberry1

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2017, 07:09:47 »
same here, still too dry underneath. On top of that It is starting to feel autumnal at times and my comfrey patch is generally first,already showing those slight mildewed leaves. I noticed a little on the first courgette leaves too. Will be a while yet but plants have had a real struggle this year, in dry somerset, dry where I live, surrounded by protective hills. All they want to do now is reproduce and then die down

Digeroo

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2017, 11:08:58 »
I have just planted out another batch of courgettes.  One year one guy started late, so put his courgettes out in July.  Mine all started suffering from various moulds and cucumber virus etc, and generally being rather large leggy plants.   His started just as mine stopped, he had courgettes until the frosts got them but also managed a few extra days by fleecing them, my surviving plants were too big to cover.  So now every year I try and start a late batch.

The cooler weather is slowing my courgettes down. 


GRACELAND

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2017, 11:44:32 »
NOW ITS TOO WET
i don't belive death is the end

Obelixx

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2017, 11:52:45 »
8mm of rain on Friday night.  Might get a dribble at the end of today.  better than nothing but clearly not enough to go deep so please feel free to send any spare rain my way.
Obxx - Vendée France

johhnyco15

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2017, 15:04:54 »
i put a lot of organic matter in every year  a good 3 or so ton of manure then dress it with leaf mould and that on top of trenching all last years spent crops last autumn  as we are always very dry here and a trowel depth down its always nice and damp also i cover a lot of ground with fabric and plant through it again to save moisture  i only water my beans and greenhouses and feed outdoor toms once a week the rest is left to fend for itself  hope this helps
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

squeezyjohn

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2017, 15:39:08 »
I've had a look at the forecast for my patch near Oxford and it has it raining every day for the next fortnight!  So maybe it's just coming in installments.

It did rain on St. Swithun's day ... so it's coming true!

Obelixx

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2017, 20:10:09 »
We have agreed to lend our paddock to next door neighbours and the rent will be horse muck.  He thinks I'm joking but I'm not.  I shall be off soon looking for other sources so I can build up moisture retentiveness and fertility for the long haul.

Beechgrove Garden reckons we can save £1500 a year on our food bills if we grow our own, not to mention the health and freshness so i really need to find a way to cope with drought.  Having said that, I put the sprinkler on today to water the shade bed for weeding and it started to rain.   I shall try that trick again when OH is absent playing golf so he doesn't moan ahead of the water bill.
Obxx - Vendée France

Digeroo

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2017, 08:34:04 »
I am luck that I have it available though I find filling the barrow and carting it down to allotment is rather tiring,  But at the moment I do not have much space to put it.
So I will start to fill some compost bins with it.  Then in the autumn it will be there ready to spread, and the bin will heat it up better and it will have rotted down more. 
How much is three tons?    I tend to think in wheel barrow loads.  It takes about 5-6 loads to fill a 320L compost bin. So I make that 50 to 60 wheel barrow loads. Please correct my arithmetic if you can.  Looks like I better get started.   I also fill a compost bin with leaves and that now needs emptying from last winter.  I have done quite well it is 2/3 full. 

I am not convinced about saving as much as £1500.  but I ate some of my own carrots yesterday and finished up a bag of supermarket ones and even organic ones were not in the same league.   The big plus is the taste.
However todays food bill will be about £1.50.  I try to stick to £10 per week at this time of year.  Nice to think it might pay for my holiday to sunshine in January. 

Obelixx

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2017, 13:43:37 »
Do you watch Beechgrove?  Sunday morning BBC2.   They're following a woman who's a trained horticulturalist who's sharing land with neighbours, teaching them how to grow in return for sharing the crops.   She's keeping a record of harvests and comparing them with shop prices and doing really well so far just on the price of salads, strawberries, courgettes and radishes.  Beans, beetroot, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and brassicas still to come.   She's doing it all for almost no money too apart from seeds and some asparagus plants - master at recycling and clever ideas.
Obxx - Vendée France

johhnyco15

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2017, 16:17:25 »
Do you watch Beechgrove?  Sunday morning BBC2.   They're following a woman who's a trained horticulturalist who's sharing land with neighbours, teaching them how to grow in return for sharing the crops.   She's keeping a record of harvests and comparing them with shop prices and doing really well so far just on the price of salads, strawberries, courgettes and radishes.  Beans, beetroot, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and brassicas still to come.   She's doing it all for almost no money too apart from seeds and some asparagus plants - master at recycling and clever ideas.
you can get it on bbc2 scotland on thurs night  my rent is £60 a year i think i get that in raspberries alone without everything else you can buy these foods however im with you you get top quality produce and a variety of produce you just cannot get in shops when i eat 12 apricots a day straight from the tree as i eat them they are in reallity still growing its that fresh you would have to pay at least double what you pay in the local supermarket just for the varieties let alone the quality or freshness  and then we get to the exercise add a gym membership for a anytime 24hr 365day pass now that would be £1500 on its own   i love my 3 allotments and be totally lost without them i hope my health can let me continue to enjoy my hobby for at least another 30 years maybe only a 5 rod by then however GYO long may it reign
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

Digeroo

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #11 on: July 24, 2017, 21:13:08 »
My rent is £90 per year but that includes manure.   
What is she using for tools, netting, and fertiliser?  And petrol to get to plot.
I do like the thought of peaches straight from the trees.

Obelixx

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #12 on: July 24, 2017, 23:12:49 »
She had tools already and there was netting spare in one of the gardens she's sharing but she did get a job lot of tools and buckets and such for £15 on th enet plus 2 plastic greenhouse thingies for 50p.   She uses compost, manure from local horses, pallets, hazel and birch sticks for poles and obelisks, found objects and stuff from the local recycling centre.

Watch the programme on i-player.   
Obxx - Vendée France

ACE

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Re: First real rain for months but it was not enough
« Reply #13 on: July 25, 2017, 10:54:13 »


.  I try to stick to £10 per week at this time of year.   

How much!, blimey I would think I was doing well if she only spent £10 an hour

 

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