[rowlandwells]

I've stopped planting on the allotments till we get some rain because the ground is very dry even the raised beds need a watering  all we are doing at present is spraying weeds putting chippings round the raised beds getting the runner bean canes set up

i need to cultivate some ground i sprayed with roundup about two weeks ago but the ground is very hard even for my old tractor  a drop of rain would make the ground much easier to work i need to sow some green manure but i know as dry as the ground is it would take time to get a good seed bed and then will the seed  germinate in the dry ground 

a farmer near us has been sowing green manure i was told millet but i haven't seen any germination appear since they sowed it and that's got to be over three weeks ago  hopefully we mite get some rain soon so we can start cultivations planting and seed sowings

[juvenal]

No rain for 6-7 weeks here. Butts empty, and everyone carrying watering cans to the troughs. So far my allotment crops are surviving, but it's going to be tough going for the next (forecast) rainless fortnight.

[Nobbie]

We had a day of rain about 2-3 weeks ago and although the top looks dry, it’s still pretty moist when you dig down. Prior to the dry spell starting a couple of months ago we had continuous rain, so the water table is probably still pretty high. A good mulch now will pay dividends given there is no rain in the forecast. I’m putting woodchip down on all my paths as they were just mud and allow water to evaporate away fast.

[JayG]

Rain totals where I am: Feb 190mm, March 31.8mm, April 11mm, May (to 27th) 5.8mm.

Says it all really. 

[mumofstig]

Soil is like concrete here  3 cans of water needed to fork over and get the canes in for a 4ft double row of runner beans. Then needed another can to settle them in after planting 
Not good, but things are already late because of the frosts, so I didn't want to wait any longer.

[Yorkie]

Having spent a day trying to weed the hard soil, I then spent a long time at the end of Monday watering the empty ground ready for weeding and planting yesterday.  It did make quite a difference, so I did the same again yesterday evening ready for a bit more work later this evening when I get down there.

[Hampshire Hog]

Very dry here in Hampshire. Had a brief shower a couple of days ago but didn’t really help I’m afraid. Off a bit later to water the plot again.

[prakash_mib]

Went to dig the plot today. Dug 2x2 feet and panting already. Left the digging.
But hey. Heat loving plants are thriving
1. Fenugreek
2. Mung bean
3. Amaranth

All growing for leaf vegetable consumption.

[PhilConnors]

Hi Prakash,

Can I ask how easy Fenugreek and Amaranth are to grow?

Went to dig the plot today. Dug 2x2 feet and panting already. Left the digging.
But hey. Heat loving plants are thriving
1. Fenugreek
2. Mung bean
3. Amaranth

All growing for leaf vegetable consumption.

[prakash_mib]

Fenugreek greek is the easiest i’seen to grow. Amaranth and fenugreek are just broadcasted and raked in slightly. Watered once daily. Will post pic of fenugreek tomorrow cam out in 4 days  . Amaranth took a week but still tiny. For amaranth i’ve done both broadcast on a square patch and separately sowed along straight line. I think in normal weather it needs june sowing. Ive just got lucky this year.

[prakash_mib]

Here you go.
Square patch is fenugreek and tiny red beauties are amaranth

[jambop]

Hot and dry here but may be getting a bit of rain next week... just hoping it is not a deluge as we usually get!

[al78]

Horsham caught some thunderstorms last Saturday (brought torrential rain and hail) which saved me a job watering, but this week has been back to near continuous sunshine and not a drop of rain, and the same forecast for the next six days at least. My water butts are almost dry and I am resorting to using the mains supply on site, as I have planted out over the last couiple of weeks. I now have to work out how to plan gardening in a changing climate, when that changing climate is increasing the frequeny of locked in weather patterns that can bring opposite extremes of drought or deluge.

[al78]

This says it all:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-13600252/dry-spring-in-south-east-england-is-exceptional

https://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2020/05/29/spring-2020-the-sunniest-on-record-in-the-uk/

No rain in Horsham over the last week, pretty much wall to wall sunshine and warm temperatures. Some signs of a change to cooler weather later this week with a bit of rain forecast Wednesday to Friday, although not looking more than a light sprinkle at the moment (which won't do anything useful).

[robinahood]

Although the forecast is for cooler days, still no significant rain is in the offing. This Spring has been trying, what with heat and drought (bad enough) and a late sharp frost which did damage to apple and strawberry blossom etc. Onions have mostly bolted.... I don't want to water so much but most seedlings would be dried to a crisp by now if I hadn't.