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Will spring and summer 2018 be a cold rainy washout?

MountainrangerMountainranger Posts: 37
edited April 2018 in The potting shed
It’s not looking good so far. From snow in March and April which has generally been a cold wet month. The jet stream is in the wrong place it’s too far south and we remember the last time that happened, 2012 the worst summer on record none stop rain from April to November. Problem is the jet stream can get stuck over the Channel when it should be somewhere between Iceland and the Faroe Islands meaning Britain gets the weather they should get around Iceland.

That means it’s not looking good for gardening. I often spend over £50 on summer bedding and container plants but there just doesn’t seem much point if it’s going to be a cold wet miserable summer and people are just not in the mood for gardening or walking around looking at peoples front gardens.

What does anyone else do when there is no summer? 
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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Don't spend your money on one season only bedding plants, get some tough perennials that will do their thing whatever the weather. 
    It's a bit early to be talking about rainy washouts. Summer (and winter) predictions are wrong more often than right
    Cheer up, you need a positive attitude for gardening and you need to adapt, the weather will be what the weather is so you need to change what you're doing if it doesn't work


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    pansyface said:

    Dig, hoe, water (sometimes) and stare at things.

    Just willing things to grow, huh?  It made me laugh when you mentioned that.. cause I think it's something we all do without realizing.  I'm out there every day looking at my garden plants, looking for signs of growth/pests/blooms/fruit, etc.  Staring at things.  
    Utah, USA.
  • paul_in_surreypaul_in_surrey Posts: 239
    Last week when we had the mini-heatwave here (25 degrees and clear blue sky) I passed a lady walking her dog on the way to the allotment. "Isn't it beautiful today" I cheerfully said, "I hate it," she replied "it's too hot and a warm April means a miserable May".
    It is what you make of it.
    “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    edited April 2018
    paul_in_surrey said:
    Last week when we had the mini-heatwave here (25 degrees and clear blue sky) I passed a lady walking her dog on the way to the allotment. "Isn't it beautiful today" I cheerfully said, "I hate it," she replied "it's too hot and a warm April means a miserable May".
    It is what you make of it.
    You should have replied " Can you provide statistical data to prove that comment or are you just being a miserable cow?"
    Devon.
  • paul_in_surreypaul_in_surrey Posts: 239
    pansyface said:
    Makes you feel sorry for the dog, doesn’t it..?
    <snigger emoji> In fairness I see her most days and she is nice, so I think she was just feeling a little down that day - but it shows there's a weather saying for any event. The dog does do its business on command though.

    To be honest I don't remember 2012 being that bad. I remember Wiggo winning the Tour de France, the Olympics of course and England getting knocked out of a football competition on penalties (though that could be any year). I did watch the Royal flotilla going down the Thames on a particularly grey day and re-confirming my commitment to never become a sailor.
    “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
  • Manc_Debi.Manc_Debi. Posts: 82
    PF, still laughing at the husband bit.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited April 2018
    Accuweather long range forecasts look like they are predicting a washout. Jet stream in the wrong place. Less watering to do. Yeay!
  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291
    Hosta and Pansy... you made me laugh!
    Surely part of the ‘fun’ of U.K. living are the challenges the weather brings, plus all that lovely moaning we can do! As warm, sunny days are a rarity - I think we relish them more. I think real gardeners will spend time creating a pleasant garden whatever the weather. We do actually need the rain in order for the garden to grow. 
    People will moan at rain, wind, too warm and too cold... it’s the British way! 



    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited April 2018
    Also the South East needs all the water it can get. In Feb we were still looking into the teeth of drought and hopepipe bans. Hopefully March and April rain/snow fall will now get us through.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    edited April 2018
    Mountainranger said:
    It’s not looking good so far. From snow in March and April which has generally been a cold wet month. The jet stream is in the wrong place it’s too far south and we remember the last time that happened, 2012 the worst summer on record none stop rain from April to November. 
    But in 2012, January to March were very dry and March especially was very warm. So there's actually been very little similarity in the weather so far. There's more similarity so far with 2001 or 2006 both of which were OK summers. But weather forecasting more than 10 days ahead is still very unreliable in the UK. Very small changes in the jet stream position make large differences to our weather. For example the heavy rain we're expecting on Friday was predicted to go south of us until 4 days ago. 

    It might be a wet summer, but there's no greater likelihood of it this year than in any other at the moment
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
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