Tried that all last year if you remember Joyce. Didn't work. 15 months with only 20.5cm or rain finally ended in mid December and we then got 2 years' worth up until mid June.
The established trees and shrubs seem to know to send their roots way down deep so the only sufferers have been the grass which is mostly weeds anyway, our newly planted goodies and the veggie patch which we're happy to water tho I won't bother with sweetcorn next year.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
It didn't take my grass long to green up once there was some decent rain. The weeds in it didn't die back though. What you need is a spell of good rainfall so that you apply a thick mulch.
You'd think that wouldn't you? We inherited a sickly looking magnolia which produces gorgeous, goblet shaped rich purply pink flowers in spring. When we moved here I gave it a good soaking over several days and then a whole bag of ericaceous compost around its base.
Last January, after a month of rains I gave it four bags of ericaceous compost and bucketful of pelleted chicken manure spread in a large 6m x 4m rectangle we marked out under its canopy. As bulbs in pots went over I planted those out in there last April along with more feed and a bit more compost and then, after a good soak and yet more rain, we mulched it all with a good layer of chipped bark.
It looked ever so happy but then, 4 weeks of no rain followed by serious scorchio in the last week of July and every single leaf dropped. We've given it regular soakings and it now has new leaves forming.
Talk about prima donna!
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I went to Ikea last week. That always works for me. I always get soaked in the car park. Couldn't get out of the car for ten minutes and then made a run for it. The store was blessedly empty for some reason. In and out in 15minutes. Is this a record?
We have an expression here ‘looks as though she’s swallowed a wasp’. Completely describes the receptionist at the dentist yesterday. I have been going there for almost 50 years. Would it have killed her to crack a smile or even appear friendly??
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
My friend's very elderly mum had a chiropodist who came to attend to her feet every couple of weeks. She was rude, surly, rough and impatient. Mrs S, a kindly soul, had had enough of this so eventually she said "do you not enjoy your job dear?". Might as well have slapped her up the kite!!!!!! The transformation was nothing short of a miracle. It seems, on investigation, she thought she was being business-like and efficient!
Posts
The established trees and shrubs seem to know to send their roots way down deep so the only sufferers have been the grass which is mostly weeds anyway, our newly planted goodies and the veggie patch which we're happy to water tho I won't bother with sweetcorn next year.
What you need is a spell of good rainfall so that you apply a thick mulch.
Last January, after a month of rains I gave it four bags of ericaceous compost and bucketful of pelleted chicken manure spread in a large 6m x 4m rectangle we marked out under its canopy. As bulbs in pots went over I planted those out in there last April along with more feed and a bit more compost and then, after a good soak and yet more rain, we mulched it all with a good layer of chipped bark.
It looked ever so happy but then, 4 weeks of no rain followed by serious scorchio in the last week of July and every single leaf dropped. We've given it regular soakings and it now has new leaves forming.
Talk about prima donna!
The store was blessedly empty for some reason. In and out in 15minutes. Is this a record?