Here we go Bits and Bobs - 2016.

[peter]

Twenty centimetres?

That's about eight inches!

[PLUMPUDDING]

I was just thinking that sounded rather a lot I was looking at our weather data for last month and there were only two days of any significant rainfall, but we still totalled more than the monthly average for May.

[robo]

Surprise, surprise , we had all of 3 minutes of rain the weather warning vanished with out trace the plot is in need of a good watering as everyone had seen the forecast so nobody watered yesterday

[Monika]

Yes, we have had a long run of sunny days, too, after only 6cm of rain all May, all falling on two days around 20th. Until three days ago, there was a nasty N/NE wind, but yesterday and today the wind has almost stopped and it's scorching. We spent all yesterday morning watering on the allotment and will give it another go tonight.

It's significant that the leeks in the garden where I can put the sprinkler on regularly are about three as large as the ones on the allotment - all planted on the same day|! And, as we very rarely get thunderstorms here, I don't suppose there will be much rain this week either.

[robo]

It was not a mistake that was the forecast 8 inches in 2 hours ,we missed it but a place eight miles away called runcorn got it I believe the town had manhole tops lifting up with the force of the water, they are lucky ,runcorn is on the river Mersey plenty of room for the water to run too

[Westi]

25 degrees on lottie today, & dusty! Perfect temperature so I didn't have to rake up the weeds hoed off. Looked very dry but pleased to see soil still holding moisture only a few inches down.

Harvested a couple of nice lettuces but some smaller immature ones starting to bolt, a few flower heads on the onions, runners just figuring out they can twist up the poles, broad beans fattening up, asparagus beetle visiting, climbing french beans in flower,sweet corn about a foot plus tall already, spring cabbages finally hearting up, few spuds grubbed out, & a very small bowl of strawberries enjoyed.

It looks fab, blossom on the soft fruit, poppies starting to bloom, chive flowers full of bees, buds on the roses & dahlias popping up. And just for luck sowed some more pumpkins & squash - Yes I know! Exhausted, dirty & sweaty, but the best day!

Westi

[Geoff]

Another glorious day, 24.3°. Using solar panels as a weather check; May was almost 12% better than last year (last year was first year), which means April and May taken together were almost exactly the same for the two years. This last week was a generation record at 11½% better than previous best, which strangely was this week last year. Very little rain, even less than Monika, I only recorded 34mm in May and nothing yet in June. I wonder if we'll pay for it later or are we in credit after the Winter?
Everything seems to be growing at tremendous pace. Just short of 10 Kg off the first 6 roots of Potatoes; Calabrese, Carrots, Courgettes, Mangetout Peas among the weekend vegetables with lots of salad and Strawberries. If all the blossom sets on one cooking Apple (Lanes Prince Albert) I'm going to have to think about thinning.

IMG_3587_R.jpg (450.2 KiB) Viewed 3390 times

[dan3008]

I think my turnips and sweads are dead I weeded round them today, and transplant a few that were too close together, and this evening, they've gone all floppy given them a good water and hoping for the best.

Just my luck in the garden this year...

[alan refail]

The rain has just arrived, right on schedule!
Wonderful scent of damp freshness after such a long hot, dry spell!

http://www.livescience.com/37648-good-s ... ichor.html

[Geoff]

I thought it looked good for you on the radar. Our electrical storm has passed leaving us with a 5.7 mm welcome deposit.

[Johnboy]

Rain or maybe showers are expected here tomorrow (and looking at the time today) and we have not had any for over a fortnight.
It has been really overcast and threatened to rain but none has appeared. Great for hay making.
JB.