[Muls]

Helppp, I need some suggestions for veg that don't mind drought. I am losing all my brassicas etc due to lack of water. No running water on site, I did have 3000 litres from water harvesting. I am saving the remaining for my greenhouse. Any suggestions for drought tolerant veg gratefully received. 😢

[Yorkie]

What sort of soil do you have?

Are you allowed a shed (rainwater harvesting)?

[Muls]

I have 3 ibc tanks from water harvesting, still running out.

[Yorkie]

I know this isn't answering your question but are you sure you need to water so much?

I don't water once plants are established.  If (assumption, I know) you water frequently and relatively lightly, then you make the plants very drought-intolerant because they don't send roots down deep for water - hence the watering becomes a vicious circle, so to speak.

Obviously, soil type can affect this - hence my initial question about your soil type.

[allotmentann]

Speaking as someone trying to grow where there has been four years of serious drought the only crop that is doing well for me is tomatoes. The plants look bad. The fruit is smaller than normal, but the flavour is incredible. 

[LotuSeed]

I believe amaranth is drought tolerant. Globe and Jerusalem artichokes as well maybe.

[snowdrops]

Can you obtain mulch to put down to prevent water evaporation after a thorough soak.

[Salmo]

Add lots of organic matter to your soil, manure, compost, green manure. This will help to retain moisture.

Except for newly planted out plants do not water every day. A good watering once a week is better.  You can still water something every day to spread the load.

With crops like lettuce try to sow directly into the soil rather than planting out seedlings and they will develop deep tap roots. Sow thickly and thin out.

[Muls]

Lol, Allotmentman, yes tomatoes seem to so well. I have added plenty of goodies to the soil. The Brussels etc  are now bonsai versions. Its getting silly. I have put my name down for another plot on a site with running water. Chickpeas are doing well too, oil.

[simonwatson]

If you dig down in your soil, at what point is it still damp? Recently we had about three weeks here of almost no rain. Even then, the soil was damp just a couple of inches below the surface.

If your soil is the same then you might get better results if you don't water and make your plants work to get moisture they'll be much more drought tolerant.

[Muls]

Its not damp at 12 inches - I haven't been any further down, its like a desert, last year was bad but this year is a disaster.

[simonwatson]

Have you done a soil test like this one?

http://www.soil-net.com/dev/page.cfm?pageid=casestudies_jamjar&loginas=anon_casestudies

If your soil is dry so deep down then I suspect it's too sandy and needs organic matter adding. Lots and lots of it.

Whatever the issue (including the lack of rain!!) it sounds like you've got your work cut out, good luck.

[surbie100]

Mine's clay and dry down a full spade spit. You have my sympathies - feels like I am watering just to keep things just about alive. And luckily we have water on site.

[mumofstig]

Mine's clay and dry down a full spade spit. You have my sympathies - feels like I am watering just to keep things just about alive. And luckily we have water on site.

Snap - very poor potato yield  I didn't realise just how dry it was until too late
MetO keeps forecasting rain, but it doesn't arrive *sigh*
Wouldn't mind if these grey days gave us some rain, but to be grey and dry seems completely pointless!

[surbie100]

My spuds aren't bad, except for slug damage this year, cos I nematoded (new verb?!) a bit late. I spend an hour every other day watering the 2 plots and it seems to be keeping things ticking over, but I wish I didn't have to do it.