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Feeding plants - heavy rain

InTheMoorlandsInTheMoorlands Posts: 161
in Fruit & veg
Our veg. are long overdue a feed but the weather has been so cold and wet (heavy storms) that i wondered about the wisdom of doing this with the liquid feed that we use.  Should I just feed the plants as usual or wait until the rain ceases.

The last week's weather - strong winds, thunder, lightening, torrential storms, single figure temperatures at night - the joys of living so high up :)  
At about 750 feet on the western edge of The Pennines.  Clay soil.  

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I don't feed veg after planting. I enrich the soil with compost and blood fish and bone before planting, then let them get on with it.
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Tricky one, isn't it? The weather isn't too nice lower down the slopes at present. With the heavy rain it does seem a bit pointless to be pouring feed onto ground that is sodden and getting constantly "cleaned" by yet more precipitation. I'd wait for a dry day but maybe (judging by your name) you live in one of those areas that is constantly wet and with poor soil. Would a slow release fertiliser be a better bet then at least you wouldn't have to worry about missing a week?
  • InTheMoorlandsInTheMoorlands Posts: 161
    @Ceres I'd wait for a dry day but maybe (judging by your name) you live in one of those areas that is constantly wet and with poor soil.

    Most of the veg. are in pots and troughs but the same applies as if they were in the ground.  Soils quite good and the summers are usually fine - we wouldn't have been here thirty five year otherwise.  Neither of us can remember a July like this - we actually put the heating on during the day earlier this week!

    The only think that I can think of is to get some powdered fertilizer which the rains would slowly disolve.
    At about 750 feet on the western edge of The Pennines.  Clay soil.  
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Here's hoping the weather improves soon.
  • Hazel_NutHazel_Nut Posts: 4
    I often give liquid comfrey/nettle feed during wet weather. Reassures me that if I’ve made it too strong, it’ll be diluted a bit in the wet ground anyway, so shouldn’t burn the plants. My only worry is the neighbours thinking I’m a bit mad for watering in the rain. 
  • InTheMoorlandsInTheMoorlands Posts: 161
    @Ceres ceHere's hoping the weather improves soon.


    Thanks Ceres.  Managed to feed most of the veg. inbetween heavy showers.

    Summer here are usually quite dry but this one is something else.  Rain should be easing off at the end of the week but the temperatures are still way down.  

    Still, don't have to fill the ponds :)

    At about 750 feet on the western edge of The Pennines.  Clay soil.  
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    If they are in pots then I think it will be OK. You could use a granular one, but  the amount of water that gets to a plant in a pot - especially quite a big plant - isn't that much really
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

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