An exercise in futility

My front garden is so dry. I have potatoes growing out there but the plants are only about half as tall as they should be. I've been giving them gallons of water, but I think I'm wasting my time. The ground is so dry that any water I pour on just immediately vanishes, and within minutes the surface is visibly bone dry again.

I know I need to improve the soil. That's going to be the focus later this year, but for now I'm ready to just give up on it. I even dragged the hose through the house a couple of days ago and spent nearly an hour just hosing it. It was futile.

Should I just give up on it?

 

I've got wood chippings covering it. It still bakes dry. It's south facing, sheltered, and small. The fact it's small means it doesn't even get a break overnight, because the bricks of the house function as a massive storage heater. You can literally feel the heat radiating from the brickwork at night.

 

Old compost bags work a charm. Cut a big circle and put it around the plant like a collar. you can mulch on top of that for asth...aths...looks!
Just watch out for slugs, they hide underneath the plastic