The Dogmother Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 It has been much cooler today, with the odd spots of rain early evening - we really need sustained moderate rain... all my water buts are empty now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 It rained overnight!!!! My water bits are empty too DM but we have some proper rain forecast for tomorrow morning- I really hope it actually happens. The pond is so low too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 I did hear it raining, and the cat jumped on me in the night.... soaking wet! Not much standing water though, so it can't have been much. I do hate using mains water for plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Good news about our red alert drought; it only applies to the NW of the Department and the rest of us are not on any drought alert level whatsoever. So we continue to use tap water on the vegetables, left for 4 days to allow the Chlorine to come out. Most of our veg is out now (potatoes and onions), so our usage has dropped considerably, but we've still used 6000 litres of tap water this year and with a heatwave forecast for next week, with still no rain, we are set to use even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 We had some heavy rain overnight with more promised for tomorrow but, horror of horrors, 32 and 33 degrees for next Tuesday and Wednesday ! Nooooooooo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Hooray!!!! The water buts are all full!! I hate using tap water for the garden too DM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 I haven't checked the butts yet, but it has been raining on and off all day (while I was working outside) I changed to shorts under my waterproof jacket as i was fed up of wet jeans sticking to my legs. The rain was torrential earlier this evening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Didn't get to completely empty the water butts. The ones in the garden were syphoned to the ones in the field. They are fairly big and I probably used up 2 large ones in all. The big tank wasn't completely emptied either. A lot of things like the onions and spuds had to fend for themselves - even the brassicas didn't need watering and we've had some amazing calabrese! Mostly the water slurping culprit was the greenhouse. I only did the peppers when they looked like they needed it and the tomatoes every morning, unless it was wet - not done it today. Yesterday we had .1 of an inch overnight. Today we were a third of the way up the container - possibly half an inch or more, but as it was still chucking it down this evening I didn't have another look! It's a lot in one day, that's for sure! All the windbreak sheeting that I took down when it was hot, has now been put up again, but the plastic overhead on the run is pretty much moth eaten and the rain is getting inside. I'm thinking waxed canvas - or a marquee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Lots of lovely rain yesterday, much of it quite heavy. When I went to check the waterbutt though it was only half full as the down pipe/connector thingy was full of moss washed down from the roof............grrrrrrr The poor tomato plants took a bashing too but I'm sure that they'll soon perk up. We have baby beans on the runner plants (my 6 for 50p half dead fete bargain!) so I am hopeful of a few, at least (50p's worth would be a result!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 We ended up with a total of 17.5 millimetres over 2 days. Not bad today at all as we head for the next heatwave. Water butts are refilled and so was the pond! We have baby newts 😍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 Well, not enough to quite fill the first water butt in my cascade of 3 A lovely clear start this morning, but it's cloudy and cooler now. I suspect that we're bracing ourselves for the heatwave in the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 Fairly nice day today - lots of activity in the garden while it's cooler. We did have a few splats of rain around lunchtime, but not bad at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Goodness it's hot already; 31C inside the garage. Forecast says 38C today and a blistering 43C tomorrow, which I hope is wrong. So we are set for another 4 day heatwave with a third predicted in mid-August. We might get some rain on Saturday, when it gets cooler, which we really need now as almost all the grass is burned, something we haven't seen here before. So 7000 litres of tap water now used and we will be watering the chicken enclosure for the next few days which means a rather large bill due in October! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 So that was one epic set of storms last night, although none of them was right overhead. I was up for an hour with one of my dogs as she's terrified of fireworks and thunder. Am just going to check on the levels in the water butts..... obsessed? Moi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 I'd just emailed someone and one of the closing notes was "as long as we don't have a storm in the night . . ." and 10 minutes later I could see flashes on the horizon. I guessed Exeter or Honiton. Trundled across to the windows and closed them (the big windows) in anticipation of rain. Well on the lightning maps it was going manic and here it was getting closer - a constant rumble like a big jet that just didn't fade away. This went on for ages, started just before 11pm. If anyone has watched Malcolm in the Middle with the fireworks episode - the close flashes were like that! Then half an hour later we got the rain and hail on the windows. So loud it woke OH up - by then we had no internet and I was a bit concerned that we might even get a power outage if it hit the pylons - none near us but loads a few miles off. I didn't want to grope around in the strobe lighting! We watched it for ages, had a few closer rumbles and then just before 1am it had a second innings and was much closer! I think I went to sleep while it was still flashing away out there. And just like DM - we mentioned the water butt as we'd filled the empty butts around the garden and veg patch, so it'll be interesting to see how much or little rain we had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 So, the first water butt in the cascade isn't quit full - and all that rain sounded so promising Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Big tank is full and if OH hadn't plugged the holes, it would have overflowed! Actual measurement was 12 millimetres - nearly half an inch. Terribly hot in Taunton today, but it's super here - very windy which is making it much more bearable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Just to say that for those of you that can't take the heat, one of those Ice Cool cloths works amazingly well. I bought one for my sister who lives in Greece and waited for the verdict. She said it was fab. So I bought one for myself and agree it is a very cold cloth and is perfect draped round your neck, if you don't mind a slightly damp T-shirt neck. I popped out earlier to get one for a friend who is suffering from hot flushes. Most garden centres seem to sell them for around £6.99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Come to Cornwall if you’re too hot! It was 23 yesterday in the sun (my actual perfect temperature) but has been between 18 and 21 and cloudy today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 We have sun and some cloud but the wind has made it lovely - not a cold wind, but it is bringing the heat down - I'm happy with high 60s or low 70s! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 (edited) We could do with cooler here too - never thought I'd say that, but it is really still and muggy again this evening. My dining room is 22deg, and it's NEVER that warm in here. Edited July 24, 2019 by The Dogmother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Our bedroom was 28 degrees all last night, even during and after the thunder storms. Seemingly we'll go from 37 degrees tomorrow to 25 on Friday! Can't wait! All that the rain last night seemed to do was to make it muggier and more humid today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 This'll make you laugh (or perhaps sob) I was in the office today, and the aircon (devil's work) had over-compensated so much that we were opening windows just to warm up!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 La, la, la, not listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 28 already in the bedroom. Going out this afternoon and actually looking forward to the air con in the car. I may not get out..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
