"Kay" wrote in message
Fran writes
"David Hill" wrote in message

Why not just use washing up liquid, It is a negative ion wetting agent.

But will detergent kill or harm worms?

My major concern about any sort of wetting agent is wheterh they will do
damage to micro fauna and specifically worms in the soil. I've had no
luck
doing a google search and the local gardening gurus in the media don't
seem
to be able to answer this question.

If your soil is that dry I am surprised you have any worms.

It depends on the location in the garden. In the veg garden there are more
and where I mulch perennial veg with large rocks there are lots. However,
in the rose areas there are exceptionally few and usually very deep down and
then only in the very few spots where there is some residual moisture (like
around the tap area). The aim is to keep the few I do have and to encourage
more to hatch and stay alive. I need them to work for me creating channels
for if it ever does rain again in sufficient quantity to have any soil
penetration or for when I can manage to water.

But the resident oligochaetologist says that there will be earthworm
coccoons, and you'll damage those, along with most of the rest of the
invertebrates.

Thank you for that information. Please thank the resident expert on my
behalf.

Breaking up the soil surface is your best bet (pick axe?)

I have tried that but as mentioned the soil is water repellant. Even
chipping at it for days with a wonderful purpose built ladies sized pick axe
and then watering after each chipping/digging session results in very uneven
wetting. I can be at it for a week of daily digging and watering and still
find clods of dry soil at the end of the week.

In addition, digging to any great extent is also not possible over the very
large garden I have. It's too big and much of the "soil" has turned
concrete like. I'm trying to keep alive the roses which normally just power
through the heat and relative drought but the local plumbers tell me that
there is no subsoil moisture down even 5 ft so it is a bit of an ask for the
roses.

I was looking for a relatively easy solution but did have doubts that it
existed as you have confirmed. I hate to let over 100 roses simply die or
become so wak that they will have trouble recovering. They are a
significant investment. I have water but getting it in the soil and keeping
it there is the problem.

Be forever grateful that you live in a place with a great climate and good
conditions for gardening. The next nasty on the way appears to be locusts
if the news can be believed.

Thanks again.