[Anton]

My new vegetable garden (I share with a couple) has only water barrels supplied by a shed roof  for watering.
The field just behind the garden has been harvested so there is lots of straw for making a mulch (which I have done). I have also been using a handtruck to ferry a half barrel full of water down to the garden every second day (a nine minute walk). It is getting really dry over there.
In the previous garden I generally only had to do this for a couple of weeks in July.

      I wonder if I watered (I can only do it sparingly) and then covered the smaller plants with horticultural fleece, would that help retain the moisture?
   I will be putting some more barrels for next year and then filling them up from the roof-supplied barrels as the winter progresses.

Anton

[Yorkie]

I'm not sure about the fleece - whether it would cause a warmer microclimate, or keep in some evaporated moisture in a little bubble.

But instead of watering more plants sparingly, I'd water fewer plants with more water per visit, and then mulch on top to keep the moisture in.

[Anton]

Thanks, Yorkie, I will try that then.

Anton

[Kleftiwallah]

I agree with yorky,  better to select a few treasured or pricey plants drench those and let the rest struggle on,  rather than spread a little water a long way.

Cheers,  Tony

[Anton]

Thanks for your contribution, Tony.

Anton