Watering in the rain

[Potstubsdustbins]

Rained pretty much all day here stopping just after tea. Decided to take a last walk round and as the picture shows not a drop got to the runner bean containers, bone dry on the ground.

As I got the watering can out the rain started again giving the neighbours a giggle at Potty watering his plants in the rain, AGAIN............

[muddled]

I always feel silly running up the garden to the greenhouse, watering can in hand, during a downpour.

So good to know there is a gardener out there who looks even sillier than me!

[Thelma Sanders]

I have two aubergines standing on the paving, this morning the tray at the bottom of one was full, the other one completely dry - weird or what

[craftymarie]

Ditto. I feel daft watering in the rain or just after rain but there are so many container plants that seem not to get any water at all - probably due to all the foliage - so you have to give a good water right at the base or they die.

[rary]

That is the reason I made my raised bed a bit wider than 4ft. I have found that the canopy with the leaves keep water of the soil, with a 6ft wide bed I dont have to water as much, and as you point out all pots and tubs need to be checked and watered regularly, but hopefully not today, as while writing this its chucking it down.

[SusieG]

Phew!! Not just me who feels guilty when watering during/after rain ......
DH just looks at me askance, not uttering a word 'cos he's just sorta got used to me now .....

[Bren In Pots]

I still grow a fair few things in containers so I'm another one who waters in the rain

[vixylix]

Not just you guys... my containers were desperately in need of a water yesterday, so I set out with the housepipe. Halfway through it hammered it down (it wasn't forecast), and I of course continued with my hosepipe. Neighbours must have thought I'd gone insane

[Ger-annie-um]

I was out in the pouring rain, dressed in my wet weather gear watering my hanging baskets and tubs. I'm pretty sure my neighbours have arranged for the men in white coats to pick me up if I do it again

[Scoot]

I'm resigned to the fact my neighbours think I'm loopy. If I'm not grabbing my watering can in the rain to water my tomatoes (they just think I'm watering stuff in the rain) I'm collecting leaves in the autumn for leaf mould. I try and do that under the cover of darkness but I'm certain people have seen me.

[happyhumph]

We've just had epic amounts of rain in the last 2 days and ground under courgettes & in pots still dry so will be watering later. Fortunately my neighbour is also of the watering in the rain variety so I don't get odd looks!

[ESBkevin]

Most of my pots and baskets are near the house wall and nearly always require watering despite the rain.
The fact that sun and wind can interact with the potting soil on several sides means it just dries out faster and needs soaking regularly. I tend to wet the hanging baskets well and then go back and drench them again to ensure they are holding the maximum moisture for a few hours.

[Ryez]

I have rain shadow too, and I didn't realize it till some of my herbs died.... I also have a tree over my flower bed, so that doesn't help either. In general, though, I find that plants in pots (with compost) dry quickly, no matter the rain fall. On the other hand, veg in beds, that don't have much foliage, I,e, onions, don't seem to dry... I rarely water them. Similarly, the plants on my front flower bed are planted in clay soil, and they rarely dry, or never. The soil is pretty heavy there.

I mixed some clay soil with compost and planted some veg in pots, but I found they get really wet with the rain, sometimes not draining at all! So maybe finding the right ratio of compost to clay soil could create a balanced mix that holds water but doesn't drown the plant. Maybe add some gravel on the bottom? Anything to save me watering so much as I don't have a hose. If anyone knows a good ratio for mixing compost and clay soil, please do let me know!!

[ESBkevin]

Clay soil doesn't hold water so much as fill all the pores and stop it flowing. It is also typically higher in those trace minerals that plants like but when all compacted in the roots cant get to it. So compost and general fibre in the soil are the sponge element as well as a source of decay and nutrients. The compost feeds the 'soil web' life forms and allows the roots to get at the air so they don't drown and rot.
I'm not sure what the correct ratio is, but a good mix will have some sand/grit, some clay broken up fine and some compost items in various stages of decay. A nice top mulch helps prevent errosion, and evaporation.

[Ryez]

Thanks ESBKevin, that is much more tricky than I was hopping it to be! I did buy some grit though, so will mix that in and compost. It does clump a lot, so I will have to dry it a bit to it will mix well. I grow my pepper in a clay+compost mix and I do need to water it much less, but now I am getting worried, the roots might not be happy in there...