Up near Padstow making gin, very nice and a nice breeze, have to be careful with hot cars, had a rubber melt under my gear lever on last car, lost my gears but sussed it out .
It's too hot :(
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Soldato
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As my mother sinks deeper into dementia and I realised I'll be back in my pokey flat before too long, without access to a garden, I decided to plant up all her many, many pots and hanging baskets this year... go out in style, so to speak. "It's what she would have wanted". But I didn't plan for the driest April/May on record and now it's a case of picking and choosing what I try to keep alive; the established stuff in pots has to get priority.
The greenhouse full or tomato plants may be first to bite the dustbowl as we slide towards a hosepipe ban. I've got plans to disconnect the downpipes and redirect the flow into the garden if it eventually rains, but knowing my luck it'll be flash-floody type rain that pelts down for a while, blows out my hosepipe (ooer Mrs) and only waters the top inch of soil. I used the hosepipe carefully for the first time last Monday evening, but by morning everywhere looked tinder dry again... slurped it up without a trace. I feel irresponsible using it weekly, but maybe if I start using disposable pants too we can stop flushing the loo?
It's definitely too dry. Outside, anyway.
The greenhouse full or tomato plants may be first to bite the dustbowl as we slide towards a hosepipe ban. I've got plans to disconnect the downpipes and redirect the flow into the garden if it eventually rains, but knowing my luck it'll be flash-floody type rain that pelts down for a while, blows out my hosepipe (ooer Mrs) and only waters the top inch of soil. I used the hosepipe carefully for the first time last Monday evening, but by morning everywhere looked tinder dry again... slurped it up without a trace. I feel irresponsible using it weekly, but maybe if I start using disposable pants too we can stop flushing the loo?
It's definitely too dry. Outside, anyway.
white gravel,chippings (b and m or asda )has worked great in the top of my pots ,reduces evaporation ,drying out . my greenhouse gets away with 2 watering cans on a night time ,thinking of putting a dustbin down there to collect water (easier to dunk watering can in than a butt) or i will just fill with hosepipe (you can find out how healthy reservoir levels are on line )As my mother sinks deeper into dementia and I realised I'll be back in my pokey flat before too long, without access to a garden, I decided to plant up all her many, many pots and hanging baskets this year... go out in style, so to speak. "It's what she would have wanted". But I didn't plan for the driest April/May on record and now it's a case of picking and choosing what I try to keep alive; the established stuff in pots has to get priority.
The greenhouse full or tomato plants may be first to bite the dustbowl as we slide towards a hosepipe ban. I've got plans to disconnect the downpipes and redirect the flow into the garden if it eventually rains, but knowing my luck it'll be flash-floody type rain that pelts down for a while, blows out my hosepipe (ooer Mrs) and only waters the top inch of soil. I used the hosepipe carefully for the first time last Monday evening, but by morning everywhere looked tinder dry again... slurped it up without a trace. I feel irresponsible using it weekly, but maybe if I start using disposable pants too we can stop flushing the loo?
It's definitely too dry. Outside, anyway.
Soldato
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Good suggestion, thanks. And you're right about dunking; watering's far less of a chore that way. I've been going round making holes in the garden with a stiff cane before watering too. Might disturb some roots, but it helps get water under the baked surface.
I was looking at those too and they look great. I think they work out really expensive when adding more components to them though. This was what I was looking at for my main flower beds. IIRC it runs 20m up one side, then 15m across the top.
https://www.waterirrigation.co.uk/c...VOYBQBh1RxAy3EAQYASABEgLSq_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.waterirrigation.co.uk/c...VOYBQBh1RxAy3EAQYASABEgLSq_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
That's a different way of doing it, I didn't know you could get something like that, possibly more suitable for your situation than the one I linked to.
I could see that working well if you had it on a timer, covering a larger area - just set it up and forget it.
The Hozelock one is more pin-point, so you can get it right where a plant needs it, so possibly more efficient.
Either way, a small price to pay for one less chore!
I could see that working well if you had it on a timer, covering a larger area - just set it up and forget it.
The Hozelock one is more pin-point, so you can get it right where a plant needs it, so possibly more efficient.
Either way, a small price to pay for one less chore!
This is just what i am thinking ,been giving my lawn a level 2 instead of a level 3 basically to weaken the weeds as i dont use any pesticides /chemicals (more a tight arse than an eco warrier) but wasnt planning on this weather ,regretting it now as its looking thirsty in the unshaded bits
too hot to walk far ,parked at the lead mines Polzeath and walked down to a secluded rock ledge ,chilled strawberry protein smoothly in flask and my kindle ,just couldn't think of anywhere else i would rather be than Cornwall
I have a solution go outside and enjoy the heat rather than watching films all day
Soldato
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Our Aircon is being installed in a couple of weeks, can't come soon enough... Though you'll be able to thank me because I'm sure as soon as that turns up it'll be chilly wet weather for the remainder of the summer
Soldato
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Daikin I believe, getting 2 units - one 7.5kw on the top floor landing (3 storey house) and one 5.0kw in our kind of combined kitchen/diner/family room on the ground floor. Both fed from one outdoor unit. Idea being that the big one will take the edge off of the temperatures in the upper 2 floors (particularly the top floor) and the other one is in the room we probably spend the most time in in the daytime. I had read that you shouldn't expect a unit to cool beyond the room its in, which makes sense, but I think where the one on the landing is dropping cold air onto our sort of spiralling stairs that run up the center of the house like a column it should hopefully work. The guy from the company doing the install reckoned he has the same setup in his own house (so either I've been had by obvious sales banter, or it's a good sign)