What have you learnt from the heatwave/drought?

[robbra]

I learnt that one day it would end...with a vengeance!

[bikermike]

I was already mulching, and had in fact mulched less to avoid slug risk after a damp spring... won't make that mistake again.

don't bother to dig out turf to make a raised bed in hot weather.

I think the fastest way (without blasting the plants out of the ground and without wasted water as run off/overspray) to water is to fill a plunge tank and fill watering cans from that

Watering every day is a royal PITA, and I am jolly lucky herself took the small person to see her grandparents meant I had an extra 30mins/day to do it.

I think the dry weather may have done for my shed cladding - the gaps have opened up too far...

Grey water works, but is a faff, and makes the water butt smell, but it is nice and easy with a waterbutt pump. I might try to build a sand filter in an old toilet cistern I have knocking about

there is no such thing as "too many waterbutts" I think I'm going to get a big (1000l?) rectangular one over winter.

[Thelma Sanders]

I have learned that I can water the plot faster by using a hose to put water in the waterbutt, which I then use as a dip tank to fill 2 watering cans. Unfortunately this won’t be allowed after next weekend,

Filling a water butt with a hose is allowed with a hosepipe ban as far as I understand. It's only direct watering with a hose that isn't if you look at the rules.

[purplekat]

You can still water food plants with a hose during a hosepipe ban, just not ornamentals https://www.nsalg.org.uk/news/wateri...the-allotment/

It's worth looking into no-dig gardening, even if you don't do it fully. There's an obvious difference on my plot where I've mulched with compost and rotted manure (just left on surface) and plots that rotavated/dig their compost in. My plants have grown bigger than on a lot of the plots, there are a few that look better, but they have their sprinkler on for hours (I've just done a quick 10mins with the hose).

[Jay-ell]

You can still water food plants with a hose during a hosepipe ban, just not ornamentals https://www.nsalg.org.uk/news/wateri...the-allotment/

it says

You can still use water outdoors and a hosepipe if you are a Blue Badge holder on the grounds of disability or on the company’s Vulnerable Customers List who have mobility issues but are not in possession of a Blue Badge, if you want to apply for an exemption from these water restrictions due to a requirement not currently outlined in the exceptions, you can apply on-line

Temporary Use Bans age governed by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, section 36 which mentions watering a garden, no reference to ornamentals.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/29/section/36

The Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 defines allotments as included under the definition of garden

The Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010



It may be the water suppliers discretion to allow watering of food crops

[roitelet]

There is an excellent book, Gardening Without Water by Charlotte Green, published by Search Press. It’s not entirely without the use of water but gives some very good ideas for using minimal water. Just needs a bit of advanced planning.

[Bill Door]

I have learnt that you can never have too many water butts unless they are all full or all empty! In neither situation are they of any use at all.

I am also thinking of partial no dig, probably dig only a third of the allotment each year.

Bill

[Containergardener]

That it doesn't last, (raining again)

[purplekat]

In reply to Jay-ell - United utilities (covering the north west and as far as I know the only one with a ban) have these as exemptions
"Watering food crops at domestic premises or private allotments using a hosepipe;
• Watering newly laid turf using a hosepipe for the first 28 days;
• Watering newly-bought plants for the first 14 days"

https://www.unitedutilities.com/glob...bfinalweb1.pdf

[Jay-ell]

In reply to Jay-ell - United utilities (covering the north west and as far as I know the only one with a ban) have these as exemptions
"Watering food crops at domestic premises or private allotments using a hosepipe;
• Watering newly laid turf using a hosepipe for the first 28 days;
• Watering newly-bought plants for the first 14 days"

https://www.unitedutilities.com/glob...bfinalweb1.pdf

That's good for their customers. I notice it says

Watering food crops at domestic premises or
private allotments using a hosepipe

I wonder if it will cover Council Allotments

[Marmande]

I learned that the blueberries needed a be in a bigger pot than I thought. And that sooner or later you have to water them with tap water, especially if there's been no rain for 60 days!

[Lame Veg]

You don't have to sacrifice your flowers for the veg. Many flowers are edible so you can have the best of both worlds. I regularly use the flowers of Nasturtiums, roses, dandelions (OK -technically a weed), squashes, etc. Google has Pages of things about edible flowers. Also many weeds are edible as well so you don't even have to garden and still have plenty of food around (Google again - wild foods or edible weeds). And, believe me, the weeds will grow when everything else has shriveled to dust.