I would go with a mulch of peat or crushed pine bark, or pine needles, and a feed with miracid ( now called miracle grow for azalea, camellis and rhododendrons.) , I think)
It has become fashionable in some gardening circles to advise against tap water and in favour of rain water (i.e. from water butts) instead. Actually, in most cases tap water is much healthier for plants (and people) than rain water, which can be acidic. I have an anecdote to support this point of view. My (organic) apple producer created a small pond in his garden. In keeping with his organic attitude, he decided to fill it with rain water from his butts. But he found out that that water, running from his roof, has collected red algae which soon proliferated in the pond. He emptied the pond and re-filled it with good old tap water.
It has become fashionable in some gardening circles to advise against tap water and in favour of rain water (i.e. from water butts) instead. Actually, in most cases tap water is much healthier for plants (and people) than rain water, which can be acidic. I have an anecdote to support this point of view. My (organic) apple producer created a small pond in his garden. In keeping with his organic attitude, he decided to fill it with rain water from his butts. But he found out that that water, running from his roof, has collected red algae which soon proliferated in the pond. He emptied the pond and re-filled it with good old tap water.
But was that more to do with the state of his roof than the quality of the rain? Depending on the age, material and slope of his roof it could well have quite a lot of microscopic living material on it. Most people find at the end of each year they need to clean out sludge from their water butts, and that’s not brought in by the rain.
I think instead of worrying about the acidity of the water I should be more concerned with the amount they get! We had some rain a week or so back - but it's getting so dry down here. The rain always seems to miss this side of the Downs.
Thanks again all - I really do appreciate the time you take helping me.
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