[Paulj]

The rain seems like it is going to go on forever, and if I'm completely honest with myself I don't think I've ever cared in the past as this is the first year I've ever had an allotment and I want to sow more seeds into the ground.  My onions and shallots seem to be doing ok though!

I presume I should hold off from sowing anything else until the weather gets a bit drier?  We seem to be getting rain everyday at the moment, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

[BabbyAnn]

I presume I should hold off from sowing anything else until the weather gets a bit drier?  We seem to be getting rain everyday at the moment, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

You could put a cloche over where you have sown (either a ready made one or something from a pop bottle cut in half to plates of glass/plastic sheet over a frame) and this would not only reduce the impact of heavy rain on the soil but also warm the soil up a little too.

The rain itself isn't so much the problem but the cool soil temperatures plus if the ground is very sodden.

[Trillium]

I would hold off a bit for several reasons. First is that your feet will compact the air out of wet soil and make it difficult for soil and plants to recover. Second, is that seedlings will take a beating and likely break, so its definitely not worth it right now. A bit of patience will pay off.

[Plot74]

I can't believe that just a few short weeks ago 29 march I was watering the plot with a hose pipe at 7:30 in the morning to avoid the strong sun . The place was bone dry now it's like a paddy field

[viettaclark]

I'll tell you what, though. I dug down 3" and my flower beds are dry in places. We've had so much rain too! My raised beds are fine although they drain down a bit too well. My lawn is flooded.
I reckon it's all running off because the soil is dry and compacted.

[Growster...]

I'll tell you what, though. I dug down 3" and my flower beds are dry in places. We've had so much rain too! My raised beds are fine although they drain down a bit too well. My lawn is flooded.
I reckon it's all running off because the soil is dry and compacted.

Amazingly, we found several dry clods which hadn't been broken down, yesterday Vietta, and this was after several hours of continual rain...

Interesting and simple explanation for why we need to add more humus at every opportunity! (These clods are in a newly-dug plot, previously occupied by the biggest brambles I've ever seen...;0)

[Kim50]

A foot dug down on my lottie last Sunday was bone dry...might be 2 feet this week.. 

[Paulj]

THanks for all the advice.

I had thought about putting up some cloche tunnels that I have in the shed - they are the type that let some water through though so would there be any point?

I'm happy to stay off the soil, but it's really frustrating.  Put me back 5 years and I wouldn't go near a plant, oh the irony!  

[Trillium]

Keeping some excess off the plants would be a good idea if you think your soil is that soggy, so yes, add the cloches. And it would definitely help the other seedlings about to go in. Nothing appreciates a rootbed of mud. 

[yorkiegal]

there's flood warnings all across york today so heaven knows what i'm going to find when i head off to the plot this evening. Might chuck a packet of rice at it and go home again.

[Growster...]

"Nothing appreciates a rootbed of mud."
Sheer unadultererated poetry Trills!

[Judd]

 Put me back 5 years and I wouldn't go near a plant, oh the irony!  

That goes for me too,I've never had the slightest interest in growing and all of a sudden I find out I love it! Strange old world

[sunshineband]

 Put me back 5 years and I wouldn't go near a plant, oh the irony!  

That goes for me too,I've never had the slightest interest in growing and all of a sudden I find out I love it! Strange old world

You'll be all the better for it, I hope 

[Paulj]

Is now a good time to be doing some weeding or could that damage the soil structure too?  I wouldn't need to actually step onto the soil using my hoe as my patch is between 3m and 4m.

[Yorkie]

It won't damage the soil structure.  However I have found that if you hoe when the soil is too moist, the seeds often just get pulled out of the soil and left on top of the soil to re-root, rather than being chopped off at the root and left to die.