I have only just caught up with this thread. Yes I am fed up with constant watering both at home and on my Allotment but I'm certainly not giving up. We have spent too much time, effort and in some cases money just to let it all die. On the plus side the Agapanthus are fantastic this year and the roses are pretty good too. I have an abundance of crops from the plots. Yes we may have to modify what we do/grow in future but for now the sore hands from lugging the hose around is a small price to pay, and carrying 2, 2gal watering cans full up and down a 100ft Allotment is better for me than going to the gym.
@Fire "Plants that once established, tolerate drought."
I don’t think that helps much. You might have an established lavender that has never had to be without rain for three months and doesn’t have an extant root system for that, so the plant might fail.
Certain roses can tolerate drought but take a long time to really get established.
What the UK counts as “drought” may well be changing.
I’m sure GCs are selling certain plants as “drought tolerant”, not mentioning that this may bear no relevance to growing them in containers. And suggest they don’t need watering much.
My runner beans are growing as if its the end of the season all withered and seedy. I had lots more flowers this year as well but I think since the hot spell (4 day summer) its affected them. Onions and beetroot doing fine. I did stop using hose just before hot spell to help save water though
hi I live in South Africa and we have been in drought conditions for 7years and are only allowed 50 litres per person per day.In Port Elizabeth certain areas have got stand pipes ready for day zero,our dams are not able to transfer water from one dam to another.My garden has been turned over to water wise plants and now to save more water we fill buckets from the swimming pool to flush toilets,along with the showers. We have 2 x 5000 which is connected to the washing machine.If we get the odd shower the water is collected of the roof of the house into these tanks. We also have days with no electric for up to 6hrs a day so all is not perfect this side either. Enjoy your weekend and lets hope we all get plenty of rain
Respect @Glenys 2 - those are far tougher conditions than anybody in the UK is facing this year - my feeling-sorry-for-myself included. At the end of the day (and at this moment in time) I could, if I wished, have the hosepipe running on the garden 24/7.
Fortunately I choose not to do that and to irrigate infrequently but deeply. It must be very hard for you and your neighbours and I send my very best wishes to you.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
For the most part my garden keeps going without watering as the plants have got their roots in deep, and it's clay--a lot of top scorch visible though. I am trying to keep a record of which plants don't turn a hair at the heat--Agapanthus, hellebores, Cornus controversa, Viburnum plicatum (in wall shade), Trachelospermum, roses, Brunnera, all seem to be doing well. But I am finding it more difficult to get out and garden thanks to a combination of the heat and health problems. The main thing that needs doing is clipping and pruning, and today would be a perfect day for it because it's cool, but my health isn't cooperating so it all looks rather straggly and overgrown.
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Fortunately I choose not to do that and to irrigate infrequently but deeply. It must be very hard for you and your neighbours and I send my very best wishes to you.
I can't begin to imagine years and years without much rain.
Hope your garden survives. Best wishes.