Drought

[Noflora]

Where are you all? I hope Kitten and Gloria are ok, I miss them and the whole weather chat. It's been too dry for weeks in my garden but I waited for this week's chill to pass and planted out the tomatoes, courgettes and aubergines yesterday. Also the summer flowers, it feels instantly cheerier here.

I would like a bit of overnight rain and then dry in the day! Perfect!

It is worrying looking at the forecast though. I wonder if there’s a reason for all this dry weather and heat. Not seen any predictions for the summer yet

We are getting the weather we enjoy @Delatron.
TBH I'm surprised that I haven't seen any posts whinging about the warm weather. There are a lot of warm weather haters on mumsnet.

That’s so true @Ginfordinner I normally get in to an argument every year when the moaning starts after about 3 days of nice weather! Maybe everyone is distracted by arguing over when the schools should open!

I’m loving this weather. Perfect temperatures!

I love this weather too but something still feels 'off' in my garden. I've had a strange version of black spot that I think is responsible for all the leaves turning yellow and falling off a mature ivy last summer. I didn't think anything of it tbh. Then this winter/early spring the same has happened to a massive laurel near it. Now my roses have had it. The shiny leaved ones have it worst and the nearer they are to the laurel, the worse they've had it.

That sounds alarming Spy.

Not a drop of rain here, the lawn is going patchy brown. In May!

55mph gusts in Edinburgh. And not properly dark till after 10pm. I've taken to giving the dog a late night walk, just to experience the weirdly silent streets.

Pissing down here and very windy. Just got drenched going for a walk - was dry when I left the housr

House*

Not a lot of rain showing up for the week ahead. Possibility of rain next weekend but that's looking waaaaay ahead when it comes to forecasting.

The lovely forecast is welcome but to be watering shrubs this much in May is bonkers. We only got one shower yesterday and within 10 mins the wind had dried it off. We did get a bough of ash down on Fri but luckily no damage.

I don’t remember a May like this for a long time? Annoying the brief cold spell was on my birthday!

Just looked at the forecast for this week and next and it’s more of the same, a bit cooler for next week but still good for May.
Will records be broken? I’m loving it!

I think if there's a long dry spell in spring we usually have a wash out come the school holidays. I've felt for a while that summer is getting earlier

I agree, August and the school holidays can often be awful. I

My Amelanchier is starting to show autumn colour. It's always been an early bird but this is ridiculous now - it's MAY!

Yes, there's nothing showing up in the way of rain for the next few days and next week's looking dry as well.

I know one thing that will put a stop to all this nice weather - I'm due to have a solid roof put on our conservatory hopefully in the next few weeks. It's all been on order since the end of February and the work was supposed to be done beginning-mid April. After all the lovely weather we've had for most of lockdown, you can guarantee the minute the installers ring up to arrange something, rain will arrive. Yes, that'll sort it!

That'll do it Gloria. But that sounds like a great home improvement, then it can be called The Orangery!

Even my very established ex Christmas tree is suffering. His proud new leading spike is very droopy . We haven't had to water him since he was first planted out 5 years ago. He was a 1ft baby from The Range at least 10 years ago, now he's 8ft plus. His name is Greg BTW.

Noflora I wish it could be called something as nice as "The Orangery" when it's done but it's going to be boring, as in "DH's office." He's been taking up a bedroom for the last 20 years we've been here and it's time DDs (now aged 21, 17 and 14) had a bedroom each (younger two have been sharing so far.) They can't wait and have already decided on the colours they want their rooms to be and everything!

You've called a Christmas tree 'Greg!' That's excellent! How did you arrive at that name?

Lovely for your teens to get their own bedroom. I got my own for the first time at 15, I still remember how fantastic that was.

Greg was named by my son and his student housemates. He was one of the lads in their boy pit. He was in a very sorry state when I got him for revival at the end of the academic year. It is still obvious from his growth which was the lean year. Whispers; this may well be his last year, he may be cut and brought inside for one final hurrah.

yes, best not let Greg know!

I can now say that the nice weather is definitely staying for the next month or so - I rang the conservatory people on Thursday and they said that they're about 8 weeks behind but 'we're top of the list and the work should be done by mid-July,' so that's the nice weather carrying on for a while yet.

Actually though, we really need rain now - netweather mention a drought situation developing, as we haven't had rain for 2 months and there doesn't look like this coming week will bring anything, maybe the odd shower for the north/Scotland.

I can't remember Manchester being this dry this early...I've been here 21 years and never seen Dovestones Reservoir this low this early in the year.

It feels a bit like the summer of 1976.

We've already got the "tap tips" ads on the radio, and openly taking about a potential hosepipe ban on the news, so I expect we may get that in the next week or so. Unless this week's potential rain is significant, and it doesn't look like it is.

Water butt had filled 10 days ago with some overnight rain, but that is drained again (I'm watering from the tap for the past 4 days again).

Scotland should get some proper rain from tomorrow onwards/into Wednesday and there's a chance of showers further south. It's looking proper chilly as well, with temperatures in single fingers for some places in Scotland and only just making double figures further south.

So rain at last over the next few days - netweather's thoughts here.

Thank you Gloria. I really hope we catch a shower. I have 2 large water butts but they have been empty for a while. Lots of guttering pours into them so they don't take much rain to fill.

Today I have ordered more soaker hose. The forecast after this cooler spell is indicating warm and dry again here in the Central South so if I have to use the tap at least watering the beds won't be such a chore.

It looks to be forecast to bucket down here tomorrow (in Berkshire)...

Three large water butts all empty here :-( in hot and sunny Surrey. They are saying rain tomorrow, but hit and miss. I am not hopeful. We even had to water our lavender hedge last night, it is going yellow.

FaceOfASpink Interesting about your Amelanchier. Mine too has quite a lot of red leaves, but I am assuming this is lack of water stress rather than early Autumn colour. Isn't Autumn colour more to do with hours of light, I forget.