Q2 - Veg for dryish ground.

[Kirk]

Anything I can grow in an area that remains sort of dryish?
Owing to the walls and so sheltering around a length of the veg bed it gets little rain on it. Just been to move something and the ground I had to dig into was dry. More so then the remainder of the bed.

Oddly I grow my tomato's there and they are reasonable but I tend to remember to water those a reasonable amount.

On the basis that I cannot remove the garage wall (owner likely to get upset) just wondering if there is anything that would not mind the conditions.

[SusieG]

How about a herb wheel/bed .....? Mediterranean herbs like the drier conditions - as long as it's not too shady .....

[Jungle Jane]

That's really difficult,I'm imagining 'what would grow well in dried out rock hard ground' it's what my grounds like if it doesn't rain for 3 weeks,I'm having to water my tomatoes but maybe sweetcorn can survive better in arid land,it would still need a watering though but maybe less than tomatoes,slower growth?

[Snoop Puss]

SusieG has a good idea, rosemary, sage and thyme would do well.

[Penellype]

You could always do what I do and put pots on the dry bit. You would need to water them though.

[ESBkevin]

When it's not like rock, dig in vast amounts of compost or even unrotted material. Absolutely anything is fine because it opens the ground and allows moisture in when it rains and retains it for when it doesn't.
Mulch very deep too so that the sun won't dry it out very fast.

Now plant as normal because it will be moist much longer and need little watering unless it tomatos/celery etc.

[bearded bloke]

What Kevin said ^^^^ or you could build a raised bed on top of the clay & fill it with some well rotted & top soil

[Kirk]

The soil does not get hard, just dry.
The bed is a raised one of 15-18 inches high and I can dig it over happily with a hand trowel. Has had compost anf manure added. Problem is it is in a rain shadow and the back bit gets little rain. It sits on chalk.

The tomato's seem to be fine there and so they get a row at the rear and grow to about foot high without trouble. It is the bit in front that is the question. When deciding to clear out the row it was bone dry. I dug a few plants out and had to break the soil off. Came off easy but dry. Similar to dried out compost in a pot.

Just decided that if it is going to be dry I may as well find something that can get along half reasonable. Suspect something that develops slowly and is harvesed late.

Rosemary etc is something I have a fair bit of, too much rosemary really as I had a low growing one and it has covered the ground more then a little. The sage I moved into a large pot.

Have to keep an eye out of a couple of possibilities although it seems squash and similar are an option. Just they seem "big" but may have to do.