I hate to say it but......

.......up here in Arctic N Cumbria we could do with some rain. We've had none for three weeks and weather has turned quite warm. Sprinkler time for newly planted seedlings and pond is well down on its winter level

Noooooooooo!  We are still soggy here and the stream is running well. 

Quite warm?  In Cumbria??  Home of the understatement???  Does that make it positively tropical?   

Allotments with pie crusts up here.

That's what I found today - top layer rock solid, but damp enough underneath. Soil under weed fabric is beautiful, though. Seems as if keeping the soil covered/mulched is the answer - on this new plot anyway