Drought in (my glass) the garden!

[jocelyn plummer]

How are we all dealing with our newly planted trees,shrubs and plants in this heat?

Our south west facing garden is really really struggling. The lawn,ok it will revive when it rains, is like sand.
Some of the spring planted herbaceous flowered just before the excessive heat and seem to be coping, but the apple tree and plum tree that we planted Jan 2008 are suffering terribly. I have cut some plastic milk bottles down and pushed them into the ground to fill with water, which I do about every other day. ( the water butt is empty!) Is there anything more that I can do or do I have to keep my fingers crossed?
This picture was taken about for weeks ago. The huge tree on the right belongs to next door and they are hoping to have it lopped or possibly removed later this year. That of course will help. On the left you can just see the tiny apple tree which now has only yellow leaves on it.

 

[Pford75]

A really good soaking every few days is much better than a short watering every day. All the old cast iron & zinc water tanks which were in our loft have been recycled as water butts...we have them dotted around the orchard. The other factor is the need for lots of organic matter when planting the fruit trees.

 

[Penners]

Our corner of Suffolk is particularly dry. Even when the weather forecast tells us that East Anglia is going to get a soaking, we frequently find that the rain misses us.

A dear old local farmer told me that "thass 'coz the rainstorm follers the river. That goo dewn the Waveney an' miss us up hare."

"Up hare" in this case means a full 150ft above sea level. The air is rarified. :wink:

As to his meteorological theory, I have no idea why a rainstorm should follow a river, but we have something approaching empirical evidence in our parched garden.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Bit like the lazy wind in North Norfolk... it blows straight through you, not round you!!

 

[JoceAndChris]

Sorry about your new trees Joss. Wee on them!

If we're to have a drought suffering competition, I want to win, as I don't have anything to put in the bath never mind on the apples.

Fortunately we've just had a large delivery of beer, wine, and champagne.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Sorry about your new trees Joss. Wee on them!

If we're to have a drought suffering competition, I want to win, as I don't have anything to put in the bath never mind on the apples.

Fortunately we've just had a large delivery of beer, wine, and champagne.

Well that's the bath sorted Joce. But what will you drink? 8)

 

[skier-hughes]

As to his meteorological theory, I have no idea why a rainstorm should follow a river, but we have something approaching empirical evidence in our parched garden.

Maybe the rain follows the earths contours and that's why there is a river there?

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Maybe I will stick to Pford's advice, and leave the weeing to the Labrador! Thanks folks.

 

[Penners]

Maybe I will stick to Pford's advice, and leave the weeing to the Labrador!

That's all very well in principle, Joss, but I think you may find that bladder emptying is not something you can delegate.

 

[JoceAndChris]

But if anyone can, it's Joss. :wink:

 

[jocelyn plummer]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[JoceAndChris]

Have you had any rain yet Joss? I've just been kneeling by the washing machine outlet pipe to catch a few drops for my tomatoes and ligularias. The rambling roses have all finished, the blossoms dried up and dropped off - last year they went all through July.

Chris insisted I wash ALL his laundry today, so he has full selection. I'm also having to launder all the bedding and towels for 8 guests coming this weekend. There is a metre of water left in the well, the two tanks in the attic, then that's it for water here until we have some proper rain.

I suppose I should really be going to the launderette.

 

[Penners]

I suppose I should really be going to the launderette.

Oh, come on - there are plenty of fun alternatives to that...

 

[JoceAndChris]

So sweet! And thanks for the reminder that in some countries water is a real problem, unlike in ours where we just like to complain.

Mind you, I think my guests aren't going to hang about once they realise there's no loo flushing, even if I do offer them plenty of natural alternatives. :lol: