We have not had any significant rain here for months,and our allotments are looking very parched.All of the seed beds (leeks,parnsnips) are having to be watered daily,and newly planted lettuces,spinach etc are struggling to survive.
I also have a couple of long(30') double rows of Onward peas,which are now beginning to grow slowly after the very cold March and early April.I am sure that if we do not get any significant rain soon (none forecast for the next two weeks)the peas will quickly start flowering and we will have a miniscule crop.I am reluctant to start watering 30' rows,since once it is started,it is probably necessary every other day,and watering ruins the soil structure.
I have been on our allotments for nearly 50 years,and have never seen a dry period like this before.There may well be serious problems by June/July.
Any suggestions for peas that are drying out?
Michael (Cheadle,Greater Manchester)

On 02/05/2013 11:44, michael wrote:
We have not had any significant rain here for months,and our allotments are looking very parched.All of the seed beds (leeks,parnsnips) are having to be watered daily,and newly planted lettuces,spinach etc are struggling to survive.
I also have a couple of long(30') double rows of Onward peas,which are now beginning to grow slowly after the very cold March and early April.I am sure that if we do not get any significant rain soon (none forecast for the next two weeks)the peas will quickly start flowering and we will have a miniscule crop.I am reluctant to start watering 30' rows,since once it is started,it is probably necessary every other day,and watering ruins the soil structure.
I have been on our allotments for nearly 50 years,and have never seen a dry period like this before.There may well be serious problems by June/July.
Any suggestions for peas that are drying out?
Michael (Cheadle,Greater Manchester)

Do you hoe the ground?
Hoeing leaves a fine tilth on the surface and breaks up the capillary
action that siphons the water to the surface.
When you water make sure that you give enough to go down 6 inches or
more, then after watering hoe to crumb the surface.

On 02/05/2013 12:23, David Hill wrote:
On 02/05/2013 11:44, michael wrote:
We have not had any significant rain here for months,and our
allotments are looking very parched.All of the seed beds
(leeks,parnsnips) are having to be watered daily,and newly planted
lettuces,spinach etc are struggling to survive.
I also have a couple of long(30') double rows of Onward peas,which are
now beginning to grow slowly after the very cold March and early
April.I am sure that if we do not get any significant rain soon (none
forecast for the next two weeks)the peas will quickly start flowering
and we will have a miniscule crop.I am reluctant to start watering 30'
rows,since once it is started,it is probably necessary every other
day,and watering ruins the soil structure.
I have been on our allotments for nearly 50 years,and have never seen
a dry period like this before.There may well be serious problems by
June/July.
Any suggestions for peas that are drying out?
Michael (Cheadle,Greater Manchester)

Do you hoe the ground?
Hoeing leaves a fine tilth on the surface and breaks up the capillary
action that siphons the water to the surface.
When you water make sure that you give enough to go down 6 inches or
more, then after watering hoe to crumb the surface.
We also have had no rain for a long time, despite forecasts. It
sometimes rains heavily a mile away but remains bone dry here. I have
long used up all the water in my three butts. Hey hoe, I hope it will
not be a repeat of last year with floods later on. That does not affect
me but I feel for those who it does. Also the price of food is going
through the roof, so another poor season will see us all in trouble.

Broadback wrote in news:kltofg$bt6$1@dont-
email.me:

On 02/05/2013 12:23, David Hill wrote:
On 02/05/2013 11:44, michael wrote:
We have not had any significant rain here for months,and our
allotments are looking very parched.All of the seed beds
(leeks,parnsnips) are having to be watered daily,and newly planted
lettuces,spinach etc are struggling to survive.
I also have a couple of long(30') double rows of Onward peas,which are
now beginning to grow slowly after the very cold March and early
April.I am sure that if we do not get any significant rain soon (none
forecast for the next two weeks)the peas will quickly start flowering
and we will have a miniscule crop.I am reluctant to start watering 30'
rows,since once it is started,it is probably necessary every other
day,and watering ruins the soil structure.
I have been on our allotments for nearly 50 years,and have never seen
a dry period like this before.There may well be serious problems by
June/July.
Any suggestions for peas that are drying out?
Michael (Cheadle,Greater Manchester)

Do you hoe the ground?
Hoeing leaves a fine tilth on the surface and breaks up the capillary
action that siphons the water to the surface.
When you water make sure that you give enough to go down 6 inches or
more, then after watering hoe to crumb the surface.
We also have had no rain for a long time, despite forecasts. It
sometimes rains heavily a mile away but remains bone dry here. I have
long used up all the water in my three butts. Hey hoe, I hope it will
not be a repeat of last year with floods later on. That does not affect
me but I feel for those who it does. Also the price of food is going
through the roof, so another poor season will see us all in trouble.


We go through this drought discussion every year, don't we. A dry spell is
common isn't it?
Last year was the wettest drought on record. The year before that was the
wettest non-drought on record.
Keep on watering the plants until "they" tell us not to. And don't be peed
off when everything gets washed away.
No hosepipe bans yet.

Baz

I was thinking that this seems a repeat of last year - cold and dry early in the year, so that when the sun did come out for a couple of days, everything dried to a crisp really quickly. And then the 6th in a row of really wet summers, no need to water, slugs everywhere. I'd like to think that this year might be different, but have rather given up hope.

Sorry, you wanted advice, not a moan. Water what you have to, give them a really good soaking. Pehaps try a dry mulch on top to cut down evaporation. (When sowing seeds in Kent I used to give the drills a really good soaking, then scrape dry soil over the seeds. It seemed to work well. Don't see why you shouldn't try a similar principle on older plants}

On Thu, 02 May 2013 14:14:17 GMT, Baz wrote:

We go through this drought discussion every year, don't we. A dry spell is
common isn't it?
Last year was the wettest drought on record. The year before that was the
wettest non-drought on record.
Keep on watering the plants until "they" tell us not to. And don't be peed
off when everything gets washed away.
No hosepipe bans yet.

Baz

I read a weather prediction from some professor of meteorology
somewhere that the weather pattern this year matches enough previous
years to allow a reasonable expectation of a washout summer.

OTOH, some forecasters are predicting sub-zero overnight temperatures
for South Wales next week; others are predicting lows of 3-4C
overnight. Who do we believe?

Not that I care! I have about 70 large plants to get into the ground.
Today I fell off a ladder and will be using crutches for a few weeks.
It's easier to water those pots which are within a couple of metres of
the tap than drag hose or cans all round the garden (I'd have to
drag/carry them in my mouth!).

--
Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where it's May
and I'm worried about minus zero temperaturess forecast

On 2013-05-02 21:41:46 +0100, Jake said:

On Thu, 02 May 2013 14:14:17 GMT, Baz wrote:

We go through this drought discussion every year, don't we. A dry spell is
common isn't it?
Last year was the wettest drought on record. The year before that was the
wettest non-drought on record.
Keep on watering the plants until "they" tell us not to. And don't be peed
off when everything gets washed away.
No hosepipe bans yet.

Baz

I read a weather prediction from some professor of meteorology
somewhere that the weather pattern this year matches enough previous
years to allow a reasonable expectation of a washout summer.

OTOH, some forecasters are predicting sub-zero overnight temperatures
for South Wales next week; others are predicting lows of 3-4C
overnight. Who do we believe?

Not that I care! I have about 70 large plants to get into the ground.
Today I fell off a ladder and will be using crutches for a few weeks.
It's easier to water those pots which are within a couple of metres of
the tap than drag hose or cans all round the garden (I'd have to
drag/carry them in my mouth!).

Oh what very bad luck! I do hope you recover quickly & that nothing is
broken. In the meantime, I suggest you bribe a sturdy teenager to do
the watering for you. Get well soon.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 02/05/2013 23:01, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-05-02 21:41:46 +0100, Jake said:

On Thu, 02 May 2013 14:14:17 GMT, Baz wrote:

We go through this drought discussion every year, don't we. A dry
spell is
common isn't it?
Last year was the wettest drought on record. The year before that was
the
wettest non-drought on record.
Keep on watering the plants until "they" tell us not to. And don't be
peed
off when everything gets washed away.
No hosepipe bans yet.

Baz

I read a weather prediction from some professor of meteorology
somewhere that the weather pattern this year matches enough previous
years to allow a reasonable expectation of a washout summer.

OTOH, some forecasters are predicting sub-zero overnight temperatures
for South Wales next week; others are predicting lows of 3-4C
overnight. Who do we believe?

Not that I care! I have about 70 large plants to get into the ground.
Today I fell off a ladder and will be using crutches for a few weeks.
It's easier to water those pots which are within a couple of metres of
the tap than drag hose or cans all round the garden (I'd have to
drag/carry them in my mouth!).

Oh what very bad luck! I do hope you recover quickly & that nothing is
broken. In the meantime, I suggest you bribe a sturdy teenager to do the
watering for you. Get well soon.
Usually the Met's temperature predictions are pretty good. But there is
a huge difference between country and town, this is especially
significant for lows at night, the open country is far colder than in
towns where the temperature is increased by the heat given off by warm
buildings.

On 02/05/2013 21:41, Jake wrote:
On Thu, 02 May 2013 14:14:17 GMT, wrote:

We go through this drought discussion every year, don't we. A dry spell is
common isn't it?
Last year was the wettest drought on record. The year before that was the
wettest non-drought on record.
Keep on watering the plants until "they" tell us not to. And don't be peed
off when everything gets washed away.
No hosepipe bans yet.

Baz

I read a weather prediction from some professor of meteorology
somewhere that the weather pattern this year matches enough previous
years to allow a reasonable expectation of a washout summer.

OTOH, some forecasters are predicting sub-zero overnight temperatures
for South Wales next week; others are predicting lows of 3-4C
overnight. Who do we believe?

Not that I care! I have about 70 large plants to get into the ground.
Today I fell off a ladder and will be using crutches for a few weeks.
It's easier to water those pots which are within a couple of metres of
the tap than drag hose or cans all round the garden (I'd have to
drag/carry them in my mouth!).





So sorry to hear about your injury, Jake. Do hope you mend soon. What
a frustrating time in a gardeners' year to incapacitate oneself.
Perhaps you could sit in a chair outside,with a hose, and keep up with
the watering. That way, you'll have a hand free to hold your cup of tea
;~)

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On Thu, 02 May 2013 21:41:46 +0100, Jake wrote:

Not that I care! I have about 70 large plants to get into the ground.
Today I fell off a ladder and will be using crutches for a few weeks.
It's easier to water those pots which are within a couple of metres of
the tap than drag hose or cans all round the garden (I'd have to
drag/carry them in my mouth!).

Bad luck Jake, sorry to hear it. Nothing quite so frustrating as having
the work lined up and ready to start, then not be able to do it.

I had a fall (semi jump really, as it was falling) from a ladder about 10
yrs ago, I remember it was no fun at all.



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

Don`t worry about a drought. As soon as some idiot MP is given the job of "Water Drought Expert" it will start to pour down!

Bigolob

Sacha wrote in
:

On 2013-05-02 21:41:46 +0100, Jake said:

On Thu, 02 May 2013 14:14:17 GMT, Baz wrote:

We go through this drought discussion every year, don't we. A dry
spell is common isn't it?
Last year was the wettest drought on record. The year before that
was the wettest non-drought on record.
Keep on watering the plants until "they" tell us not to. And don't
be peed off when everything gets washed away.
No hosepipe bans yet.

Baz

I read a weather prediction from some professor of meteorology
somewhere that the weather pattern this year matches enough previous
years to allow a reasonable expectation of a washout summer.

OTOH, some forecasters are predicting sub-zero overnight temperatures
for South Wales next week; others are predicting lows of 3-4C
overnight. Who do we believe?

Not that I care! I have about 70 large plants to get into the ground.
Today I fell off a ladder and will be using crutches for a few weeks.
It's easier to water those pots which are within a couple of metres
of the tap than drag hose or cans all round the garden (I'd have to
drag/carry them in my mouth!).

Oh what very bad luck! I do hope you recover quickly & that nothing is
broken. In the meantime, I suggest you bribe a sturdy teenager to do
the watering for you. Get well soon.

Ditto.
My very beast of wishes.
Baz