[Bing]

It hasn't had a proper rain for over a month. my lotty is dusty even when walk on it. to make the plants survive, I did this,

1. use an empty plastic bottle
2. cut 3-5 holes at bottom
3. cut bottom of the bottle off
4. turn the cut bit upside down and staple them back on to the bottle
5. burry the bottle upside down in the middle of plants
6. water the bottle butt, so water goes deep into soil, where the roots are

this will encourage the surrounding plants' roots go deep to find water

and avoid water evaporating when water the surface.

if you have better surviving tips in drought, please share with us

[hamstergbert]

Sometimes use a slightly more basic version:

1. use an empty plastic bottle
3. cut bottom of the bottle off
5. bury the bottle upside down in the middle of plants
5 and a half.  fill the bottle with any pebbles found in the bed to maintain drainage
6. water the bottle

I suspect your version will work slightly better as you can see what you are doing more, it is just that I go for the lazy option every time!

[noshed]

Good ideas. Most of the plotholders on our site plant their toms, cucs etc in small depressions so the water doesn't run away. I also put a lot of compost and manure onto the ground in the winter and that seems to help. I've some lettuce in a bodged raised bed which are doing quite well in quite a strawy medium.

[radiohead]

If you water every day I think it is far better to give a few things a really good soak than try and get round the lot and end up just sprinkling the surface.....I see a lot on our site doing this.
If you are visiting every day and alternate, everything should get a good soaking right down deep at least once a week...which is generally enough once plants are established.

[fatbelly]

We have had so much rain here in Cheshire these past 3 weeks that I can no longer walk on my Lottie because it is so water logged.

[JayG]

We have had so much rain here in Cheshire these past 3 weeks that I can no longer walk on my Lottie because it is so water logged.

Prepare yourself for a deputation arriving from the South East (Aunt Sally, Mumofstig and Learner at the very least!)

They may be armed with just buckets but I wouldn't bet on it!   

[Aunt Sally]

We keep being promised rain - but it never arives 

I don't think it has rained here for at least 7 or 8 weeks.

[fatcat1955]

I give my established plants a good soaking fortnightly. Water only using a can direct at the base of the plants. Seedlings get a fine misting daily.Please oh please give me some of your rain' i promise to be a good boy and not argue with the mod's anymore.(only joking about the last bit)

[Trillium]

I've missed the point of why you'd staple the bottom back onto the bottle, even if it is upside down. Have holes been poked in the replaced bottom or something?   

[Bing]

I've missed the point of why you'd staple the bottom back onto the bottle, even if it is upside down. Have holes been poked in the replaced bottom or something?  

if you bury a bottle (without the cap, so water can go down) upside down, the portion above soil will be 'n' shape.

I cut the bottle's bottom (with holes for watering) off and turn it upside down and put it on top of the buried bottle, so I created a 'u' shape on top (with holes at the bottom of 'u') for easy of pouring water in.

because the cut and re-fit. I stapled the two parts together, you can glue them...so they can stay put when pouring.

[Bing]

Sometimes use a slightly more basic version:

1. use an empty plastic bottle
3. cut bottom of the bottle off
5. bury the bottle upside down in the middle of plants
5 and a half.  fill the bottle with any pebbles found in the bed to maintain drainage
6. water the bottle

I suspect your version will work slightly better as you can see what you are doing more, it is just that I go for the lazy option every time!

that simpler! I got the idea when a guy in allotment told me that I can bury a pot for water going deeper. I just thought about it with my empty drink bottles (which I also use them as mini green house), and thought it can go deeper than a pot and hold more water in one go.

maybe a pot is already good enough.

just do whatever suits you to beat the dry wheather.

[Kristen]

If you are visiting every day and alternate, everything should get a good soaking right down deep at least once a week...which is generally enough once plants are established.

Agreed. I water everything, heavily, once a week only. May have to move to twice-a-week as we move into June and July heatwaves if we still don't get good rain - but I remember panicking because we had a dry May a year or two back (rather than a dry March, April AND May like this year ) and then the whole of the rest of the Summer was then wet

[Zippy]

I like the idea of stapling the bottom back into the body of the bottle as this would stop any evaporating water from leaving the bottle as it hits the underside and drips back down.

I will be using this method - thanks.

[goose]

Like many others in the SE, we havent had rain for months (apart from 1 night a couple of weeks ago that barely wet the top soil ).

However, do not fear!  Rain is surely on its way in abundance!  WHY? you may ask....well, i have just re-installed my irrigation system and for the last 5 years, without fail, it has rained continuously for the following 2 months after i linked it up again.

So, fingers crossed that will sort out the drought, once and for all.

Please remember to thank me when my theory is proven right...again

[Bing]

Like many others in the SE, we havent had rain for months (apart from 1 night a couple of weeks ago that barely wet the top soil ).

However, do not fear!  Rain is surely on its way in abundance!  WHY? you may ask....well, i have just re-installed my irrigation system and for the last 5 years, without fail, it has rained continuously for the following 2 months after i linked it up again.

So, fingers crossed that will sort out the drought, once and for all.

Please remember to thank me when my theory is proven right...again

thank you in advance!

moans:

due to drought, ants have taken over my plot, they build their hole along my plants' root (maybe that's the places they can get through the soil?) and create air spaces next to my plants' roots and killed many plants! I have to use ants powder aggressively! I even bought curry sauce and spread a bits under the plants.

although there is tap water on site, I don't think the rent I paid will cover the cost of water I use if I water them properly.