Mulch with something called Soil Conditioner. It helps with dry
soils. Then on top of the soil conditioner, add some shredded
newspaper or just lay it flat. Add a few rocks if you can to hold it
down if you choose to do flat method.

To get more water there, buy a couple of those 3-gallon water bottles.
If you have a way, get a wheel barrow, kid's wagon, or some method to
transport the water. If you cannot pick up the 3-gallon bottles, buy
lots of 2 liter soda bottles and put those in a wagon to transport.
Also, you can use the 2 liter bottles, cut the bottom off. Bury these
bottles in several places in your plot leaving about 2 inches of it
above ground. Do not fill the bottle with dirt. Fill the bottle with
water. It will slowly leech out around the roots where plants need
it. Water will last longer this way. I just read about it in a
Gardening magazine and maybe it will help you too.

I live in a hot dry climate and we have to water every other day here.
Luckily I have lots of shade so I can get by with every 2 days in
portions of my yard.

Carla



Joanne wrote in message . ..
Here's my tale of woe. The seedlings were planted and begining to
grow, the seeds I planted were starting to sprout, then the water tap
broke!

First I should explain my situation a bit. I have two plots in a
community garden about six blocks from my home so the broken tap is
more than just an inconvenience. I do not drive, so the only method of
getting water to my garden is on foot carrying two watering cans and
making probably 15 round trips inorder to moisten the soil.

Other mitigating factors a
Did not mulch.
No significant rainfall.
Relentless heat.
It's now been three weeks! Apparently a part had to be ordered and
that was the last we heard.
The building we get the water from is not ours, so we have no control.

By the time I thought of laying mulch the soil was bone dry, so I did
not think that it would do much good. On the other hand, having never
mulched before I have no actual knowledge to draw from, just ignorant
logic. To be honest I have avoided going over for the past week, it's
too depressing.

Does anyone have some advice or even words of encouragement? I know
that there are lots of gardeners here who are probably quite used to
these conditions. Is it too late in the game for me to salvage this
situation?

Thanks for any help!

jcm

Toronto, Canada
Canadian zone 5b, U.S. zone is apparently 4b

I'm just trying to find my way amongst the forest of diverse information.

Thanks to global warming it's bloody hot here!