Gardening in a drought

twopenny

Yes, I made my garden from scratch and was really taken by a whole replacement of lawn with wildflowers but hadn't got the nerve.
This is a good compromise and doesn't need managing which is a bonus 🙂

Never thought I'd get depressed by a lack of rain!

I also forgot to mention the question about what to do in winter with full water butts and household water.
You use it for washing the car, windows whatever you wash outside.

And yes, you can use washing up water for established plants growing in the ground.
I wouldn't do it all the time but alternate.

Amazing the things you pick up along the way. 😄

SuzeQStan

And the winner of the Gardening in a Drought Donut Trophy this week is: Me! 

For draining my rain barrels prior to the predicted rainfall and afterwards forgetting to turn the taps off…..🙄

bats are continuing to enjoy their visit here from what I can tell in gloaming aerial acrobatics and prodigious droppings this year!  

We have got 3 levels of bird bath/water bowls to encourage wildlife that is replenished every day - we really don’t have space for a pond but I would love to somehow make one work - maybe a small sink?  I’d love some mini bulrushes.  But I’m worried that any pond would need a lot of mains water to support it.

RipleyG

@twopenny @suzeqstan just caught up with your posts, which I've very much enjoyed. If you can get birds foot trefoil going in your lawn I'll be envious! I keep meaning to look for some seeds and always forget.

Meanwhile the drought continues. For the last couple of days I've watched thunderstorms pass by on either side of us, clearly chucking it down - sandbags needed in a nearby town, but nothing more than a smattering that quickly evaporated here. The lawn hasn't been mowed since the photos I posted - so must be well over a month now. But the goldfinches are absolutely loving the wild seeds, and the bats wheeling and whirling every evening 😊

twopenny

I think we've had 3mts with only one useful shower but that didn't go deep.
I've resigned myself to loosing some big pot plants. Not sure if they'll come back a bit but watering isn't working on many now.

There aren't many insects and just pigeons and crows left. But I live rurally so they will be in woods and river valleys where I will go given a chance.

It's been 30 - 33c in my back garden for ages. Maybe 28c at front in the shade.
Like you some nearby areas have had rain but others not.

SuzeQStan

Lovely to hear of your goldfinch charm 🪶@RipleyG 😊 - & sorry to hear of the drought that continues to affect so many.

Ive taken step of getting pot plants into garden beds - which has led to some overcrowded situations but it’s hopefully temporary so needs must.  Did it a couple weeks ago in hopes roots would develop enough for self hydration. Also invested in more rain barrels - just need some more rain now! Gonna do a rain dance!! 💃🕺🏼

Silvertabby

If this hose pipe ban goes on for as long as forecast, I'll either be knackered or have arm muscles like Popeye from heaving heavy watering cans around !  

No, I'm not watering the lawn - that will sort itself out - but I have my greenhouse crops, a lot of expensive plants in large pots, and bedding perennials that I don't want to lose.

Wishful thinking, but would be nice if those of us on water meters (and so less likely to be wasteful)  could just use a hose pipe on our gardens.......

Farway

Silvertabby said:

If this hose pipe ban goes on for as long as forecast, I'll either be knackered or have arm muscles like Popeye from heaving heavy watering cans around !  

No, I'm not watering the lawn - that will sort itself out - but I have my greenhouse crops, a lot of expensive plants in large pots, and bedding perennials that I don't want to lose.

Wishful thinking, but would be nice if those of us on water meters (and so less likely to be wasteful)  could just use a hose pipe on our gardens.......

Be careful what you wish for, next thing you know it'll be Surge Pricing, double the price in summer & triple if more than a week without rain in summer

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

Silvertabby said:

If this hose pipe ban goes on for as long as forecast, I'll either be knackered or have arm muscles like Popeye from heaving heavy watering cans around !  

No, I'm not watering the lawn - that will sort itself out - but I have my greenhouse crops, a lot of expensive plants in large pots, and bedding perennials that I don't want to lose.

Wishful thinking, but would be nice if those of us on water meters (and so less likely to be wasteful)  could just use a hose pipe on our gardens.......

Be careful what you wish for, next thing you know it'll be Surge Pricing, double the price in summer & triple if more than a week without rain in summer

Farway's not kidding! Some people are already paying for sunshine.

"Germany’s Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) has long encouraged solar adoption through subsidies, tax breaks, and feed-in tariffs. However, recent amendments introduce a levy on self-consumed electricity from solar installations exceeding 10 kilowatts—effectively taxing homeowners and businesses for harnessing sunlight on their own properties."

Energy News Beat 10/08/2025

Bait & Switch is widely regarded as fraud in other contexts. 

Farway

Dustyevsky said:

Farway said:

Silvertabby said:

If this hose pipe ban goes on for as long as forecast, I'll either be knackered or have arm muscles like Popeye from heaving heavy watering cans around !  

No, I'm not watering the lawn - that will sort itself out - but I have my greenhouse crops, a lot of expensive plants in large pots, and bedding perennials that I don't want to lose.

Wishful thinking, but would be nice if those of us on water meters (and so less likely to be wasteful)  could just use a hose pipe on our gardens.......

Be careful what you wish for, next thing you know it'll be Surge Pricing, double the price in summer & triple if more than a week without rain in summer

Farway's not kidding! Some people are already paying for sunshine.

"Germany’s Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) has long encouraged solar adoption through subsidies, tax breaks, and feed-in tariffs. However, recent amendments introduce a levy on self-consumed electricity from solar installations exceeding 10 kilowatts—effectively taxing homeowners and businesses for harnessing sunlight on their own properties."

Energy News Beat 10/08/2025

Bait & Switch is widely regarded as fraud in other contexts. 

Shh, walls have ears, water butt tax incoming in the budget 

Slinky

Dustyevsky said:

Farway said:

Silvertabby said:

If this hose pipe ban goes on for as long as forecast, I'll either be knackered or have arm muscles like Popeye from heaving heavy watering cans around !  

No, I'm not watering the lawn - that will sort itself out - but I have my greenhouse crops, a lot of expensive plants in large pots, and bedding perennials that I don't want to lose.

Wishful thinking, but would be nice if those of us on water meters (and so less likely to be wasteful)  could just use a hose pipe on our gardens.......

Be careful what you wish for, next thing you know it'll be Surge Pricing, double the price in summer & triple if more than a week without rain in summer

Farway's not kidding! Some people are already paying for sunshine.

"Germany’s Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) has long encouraged solar adoption through subsidies, tax breaks, and feed-in tariffs. However, recent amendments introduce a levy on self-consumed electricity from solar installations exceeding 10 kilowatts—effectively taxing homeowners and businesses for harnessing sunlight on their own properties."

Energy News Beat 10/08/2025

Bait & Switch is widely regarded as fraud in other contexts. 

Good lord. They'll be taxing them on breathing soon.