You need to sort your water problem out really, you must smell a bit in Summer with none of it?
Look into water storage tanks or have a borehole fitted.
It does sound easy to just install a water storage tank or borehole, however I am a tenant not an owner and can do nothing to change the supply - therefore I'm looking for ways to manage the problem.
I think any kind of mulching will help, as long as it's after the soil's well moistened, but sometimes grass clippings just form a crust, so I don't know if that will be an advantage or a drawback. It might be better to try an d source good quality manure, or even woodchip, although the latter will have fewer nutrients for any fruit.
Thank you, yes manure would be a possibility. There is always a lot on offer free from local stables so I'll look into it.
We do have plenty of water butts and a water tank for the sheep, but I never use our water for plants. Last summer was a surprise though as I needed far less for my established borders than I expected. Lots of organic matter and generous mulching, combined with closely packed plants with little bare soil and I only watered once or twice soon after planting and after that only any individual plant that showed signs of wilting under the hot sun. Most, including a lot of dahlias, coped just fine
Thank you for so many useful suggestions, I hadn't thought of closer planting to avoid bare soil and I'll increase the amount of organic matter before I mulch.
What do you mulch with?
Thirsty neighbours are part of my problem too although mine all have 4 legs! Mothers and calves, sheep and teenage cows.
Even if you weren't a tenant, that price quoted by @Bee witched is an eye opener, although I expect there's variation in that too. Hope you can solve it though, and certainly manure from stabled horses is the best. If you want to use it straight away it needs to be well rotted though. If they [stables] have a 'good midden', get it right from the base, so that it's more likely to be well rotted.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Luckily we are on mains, but most of our friends in the area only have spring water. After running out last summer, one friend had a borehole put in during the autumn. It cost £26,000
So not an option for many people.
Bee x
Oh my goodness, I had no idea it would cost that much - as I've mentioned I'm a tenant not an owner so it's not a possibility anyway but I'm shocked at the price.
What is the soil like right now? If it's moist or wet because of winter rain I'd be looking at a really thick mulch of good organic matter right now if you can get it.
The soil is moist after a lot of heavy rain but very cold and partly frozen (I'm quite high up) so I'll perhaps wait a little before mulching. If the last 3 years are anything to go by it will stay moist until about the end of May so I'll maybe take up your suggestion at the beginning of May by which time it will have warmed up and still be moist.
@nonenone I use home made compost and well rotted manure from our sheep shed. My roses really love the sheep muck, you can almost see them growing!
I have plenty of both, as it is a large garden and everything grows like mad. I can't keep up, so always end up with big piles of foliage when I do get to cut back. It may take a year or two to rot down, but there's always another one that is ready
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Hope you can solve it though, and certainly manure from stabled horses is the best. If you want to use it straight away it needs to be well rotted though.
If they [stables] have a 'good midden', get it right from the base, so that it's more likely to be well rotted.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Oh my goodness, I had no idea it would cost that much - as I've mentioned I'm a tenant not an owner so it's not a possibility anyway but I'm shocked at the price.
The soil is moist after a lot of heavy rain but very cold and partly frozen (I'm quite high up) so I'll perhaps wait a little before mulching. If the last 3 years are anything to go by it will stay moist until about the end of May so I'll maybe take up your suggestion at the beginning of May by which time it will have warmed up and still be moist.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...