Springtime bits and bobs

[Geoff]

Went to put the dog out and found it pouring with rain, there's novel.

[oldherbaceous]

We desperately need some rain here now, everything is just starting to struggle.

[Parsons Jack]

Good morning OH,

What is this rain that you speak of

There were rumours of a passing shower one night a few days ago, but it must of made a detour

It's getting very dry here now. It only seems a little while ago, that it wouldn't stop raining.

[alan refail]

It's getting very dry here now. It only seems a little while ago, that it wouldn't stop raining.

"Will it ever come dry?"
I heard people cry.
And now they complain
"When will we get rain?"

[Johnboy]

Hi Alan,
We had some quite useful rain yesterday. Two quite prolonged periods of about an hour each and one period it really seem to bucket down. I have yet to venture out to actually see what it managed to do.
JB.

[Cider Boys]

I've lost all my parsips, they were planted out a couple of weeks ago but have failed to survive due to lack of water. We need rain for all the other plants struggling in the very dry earth.

Barney

[Monika]

Not a drop here though it has now clouded over. I planted our parsnips from roottrainers this morning and really puddled them in and covered them with fleece, just to preserve the moisture because the SE wind is rather drying.

The early potatoes are coming through and we could really do with a night's worth of gentle warm rain! Some hope.

[Johnboy]

Hi Monika,
We have just had the mother and father of storms, the full works, with thunder and lightening. The rain was such that there was a band of water 48" wide running down the road about 4" deep. This went on for well over an hour and it put the satellite television out for a long period.
It is now raining again and the soft downpour needed.
The rain of yesterday didn't even scratch the surface so lets hope that this episode ends up doing some good.
JB.

[oldherbaceous]

The battle of witts.

Now, myself and Old Codger are always seeing who can get one over on each other, in the friendliest of ways of course.

Now this little story started last year when i gave Old Codger some exceptionally well grown Winter Cauliflower plants, that i had grown.
We both planted them, and they made good growth through to the Winter. The long Winter weather took it's toll on nearly all my plants though, only leaving half a dozen in the middle of my plot. So these got pulled up to make way for Spring plantings.
Now Old Codgers plants were on his nicely protected allotment, and nearly all his plants survived. they are now producing some lovely white, solid Cauliflowers.

So yesterday, Old Codger kindy said he would let me have one, which he quickly followed with, "since you can't grow them".

Now i have a feeling this won't be the last i've heard of this one.

[Geoff]

Were they "St George" by any chance? I have one of them survived but not quite ready.

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Geoff, i feel quite a traitor as they were not, and cut yesterday too! But they were Patriot, so probably the next best thing.

[Parsons Jack]

I've got seven Patriot that survived the winter, and look like they are producing something
Whether it will be big enough to eat is another matter

[Monika]

Still no rain. Some heavy showers in the area the last two days seem to have bypassed us again and it looks as if April will, like March, produce no more than about 15mm (just over half an inch!) of total rainfall.

[Johnboy]

Hi Monika,
The rain that we have had over the last three days has produced 22mm
and although we keep getting the sunshine which evaporates a great deal
the early Maris Bard have more than doubled their foliage and the Barley has put on damn near 6". I think the rainfall has activated the Nitrogen Fertilizer applied last Wednesday.
JB.

[Elle's Garden]

Evening all, we came back from holiday on Saturday to lovely warm weather and such amazing growth in the garden! When we left at the beginning of April the leaves were still buds on most trees...

Along with celebrating my youngest's 10th birthday on Easter Day with a houseful, I have managed to sow Tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumber, courgettes and basil. I was not prepared to leave these in the hands of our house-sitters who do exactly as told and no more or no less. Gardening is too reactive for that!

Nice to read all your news, and I will now spend the next few evenings catching up on all the posts!