Wasting water..!

I'm dancing and still nothing. We've had a hosepipe ban for over a year now, I too hate all this heat, I remember when I used to love summer, please, please let it rain.

 

You'll all change your tune once it starts, I'm inclined to think that after this dry spell we could be in for floods again, similar to three or four years ago.
This is how things are now, more extream, I've recorded 34C in the shade again today, promised some thunder tonight up from France. But the forecast is still relativly hot for next week.

 

:D :D

I don't mind it being hot and sunny, its July (though I would prefer it under 30c) - yes the garden could do with some steady rain for a while, (not storms they run off to quickly) - I haven't got a hose pipe ban, therefore the garden (beds) are being watered - the lawn is fending for itself. With a hose pipe ban - it would be out in the evening with the watering can, and a lorra walking - ensuring each plant/tree that is showing distress gets a can full at its roots.

One of the things that tells me when rain is desperately needed in this area for trees and plants, is when the trees in MK city start to brown up - no sign of that yet.

Looking at the long range forecast except for tonight and possible tomorrow, no sign of significant rain yet.

 

I LOVE the sun and the heat .... up to about 32�° I can cope with..but it HAS been exceptionelle even here (at the moment it's after 6pm and 37�°) ..... when you live with heat on a regular basis you adapt to it ...we get any jobs done early mornings .....get the shutters pulled to .....not completely ....we still have plenty of light streaming in .... light lunch ...siesta .... under the shade of our parasol shaped maple (shown in another thread) for a relaxing read ..... shopping in the evening if necessary ....long lazy evening meal with a good wine, the cicacadas serenading ...skies go from a dusky French blue to nearly black and the stars all shining bright ...we can hear a pin drop .... shutters shut completely overnight but all doors and windows open .... bonne nuit !! (I feel quite poetic now !! :D ) M-L

 

Shiney,...... but does it get chilly there ! ? :D :D
M-L

 

hip hip hurray...........it's raining at last,lets hope it lasts for a while.

 

Sounds great Mona Lisa, but I bet it gets a bit much working all the time in the heat, I've just had a couple of weeks off but Monday its back to the furnace. :D

 

Glad to say we've just had 20min downpour - first rain for ages, so no need to water the plants tonight but I expect with this heat it won't last long.

Garden looks refreshed and I expect the weeds will sprout up everywhere! Just checked the water butts and they are nearly full!!

 

Happy for you,jjordie :D . Even London has had some, but nothing for me yet. Took 30 wheelbarrow loads of water from the pond this evening and water level dropped by about 6 inches. It may help keep some plants alive, but things are really bad now. It can rain as much as it likes as soon as it likes. Thanks for the rain dance, Wildflower - gonna do that tonight

 

Its nearly 9pm and its still 27C here no rain yet.
What kinds of plants are you trying to save Hornbeam?
I remember some years back during a dry spell I saved those large lemonade bottles, filled with water and up ended close to the stems of particular plants in a hole made with a dibber. It give the plant a very slow constant watering to the roots, enough to save them.

[ 21. July 2006, 08:59 PM: Message edited by: pete ]

 

The list is pretty endless, Pete. Main problem is that the underground spring at the lower end of the garden has dried up. Never known that to happen before. So ferns, exotic primulas, hostas, large leaved plants etc are going brown - even the acanthus has collapsed. Elsewhere, the roses are getting most attention from the watering cans, but there are phlox, Japanese anemones, dahlias, hydrangeas, hibiscus etc etc all gasping.

Thing is that despite the daft and unfair regulations, water has got to be conserved by us all and we are going to have to re-think the way we garden and the plants we choose to grow. I remember in 2003, the experts said that kind of summer happened once or twice a century, but that with climate change they would happen more often until they became the new norm. And here we are again just three years later...

 

I bet that was hard work hornbeam in the heat all those wheelbarrows of water.. :eek: I feel so sorry for those with hosepipe bans and if we dont get a large quantity of rain soon i can see more of us with hosepipe bans..Its got to be weakening the plants and the next thing will be the food chain...putting up fruit and vegetable prices due to extreme weather conditions..its just waiting to happen..!!I can see us all growing cactus plants in the garden next !..I havnt got a hosepipe ban but the watering is very time consuming..my greenhouse is full..the pond keeps drying up..and on the front garden which gets maximum sun its gasping..i go out and water early morning..just to moisten it a bit..the leaves on my hazelnut tree are brown and like crisps..Thats it we can all grow crisps...can you see the time of this post i woke up hot and thirsty again..it would be nice to sleep all night..as i live on the edge of an industrial city the air quality is really poor..and the traffic makes it worse..Their is one good thing about growing herbs and wildflowers they seem to have survived the heatwave..and the only difference i can see is the flowers are going over faster to seed..apart from that they are fine..we will all have to grow silver leaf plants next year ..as they like the sun..

 

I have got the perfect solution for all of you with ailing plants due to the heatwave..plant chamomile between them as its known as the physicians plant as it revives ailing plants.. :D

 

Hi Wildflower - so you can't sleep either!