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gardenweed_z6a

Anybody Know a Rain Dance?

gardenweed_z6a
13 years ago

At this point, I'd even dance nekkid inside my clothes if it would just rain. Not a torrent, not a sprinkle, but a nice, gentle, steady rain for 2 or 3 days straight. I'd be up a dry creek about now if weren't for the plant nannies. Milk jugs with a pinhole an inch from the bottom have also kept a few newly planted perennials alive. For larger plants like hydrangea, I'm using 3-gallon cat litter jugs with a pinhole or two. I caught as much rain as I had containers to hold it back in May & June but that's all long since been used. The birdbath is very popular.

Please chime in if you have some tip or suggestion for ways to keep things hydrated until it rains.

Comments (42)

  • not_a_contessa
    13 years ago

    Check your local weather forecast, I think your prayers are about to be answered.

    It's raining here like "Billy be Damned" right now and the prediction is for 1.62" before it's over tomorrow. We need it very badly here, too.

    I had to rescue my little fig trees so they wouldn't fall off the back porch railing, they're safe on a bench on the porch now. Tomorrow I'll have to drain the bottom of the pots, they don't like to have their roots in too much water. The bird bath is filling up, it was completely dried out. We are also on a flash flood alert.

    Mary

  • trudi_d
    13 years ago

    Yep, it looks like we may be getting rain after midnight.

    But it's all so crispity-chunchity outside. I walk on the grass and I hear crunch crunch crunch, sigh.

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  • not_a_contessa
    13 years ago

    I hope you like the sound of squish squish squish, because that may be what you'll have soon. We're between downpours right now and the water is just pouring down off the mountain along the road. We don't have curbs here, this is strictly country.

    As I write this I can hear the sound of a vehicle struggling, perhaps a tractor-trailer down the hill parked just off the road in a grass lot that has now turned to muck. SOP, but I do love living here. Hopefully the Killdeer will have fledged and are not feeding babies in flooded nests.

    Mary

  • northforker
    13 years ago

    Hubby and I just went out for dinner in the next town and were shocked to finding it drizzling when we came out to the car afterwards. I happy danced all over the parking lot.

    Then we got home. Not a drop (yet anyway..)My gardens want rain and I HAVE an irrigation system!!!! It's challanged this year. The plants are so far along and so TALL that the sprinklers get blocked and some plants don't get the water they need.

    And maybe some rain would break this !*&^%### humidity. Can not stand it. I could never live in a place that was humid for months on end, it makes me way,way too cranky.

  • ohiovalleygardener
    13 years ago

    I live in Southern Indiana. Everyplace around me got 1-2 inches of rain last night and today. I on the other hand have been outside this evening with a water can watering all the flowers on my porch and patio. I didn't get enough rain to water 2 green onions. Think if it does rain I'll surprise the neighbors by just taking my chair and sitting in it for a bit. Not looking for any at least until Mon or tue. Everyone enjoy then send me some. Vicci

  • donn_
    13 years ago

    I've been thinking if I run sprinklers, in addition to my drip irrigation, it would bring the rain...y'know..Murphy's law. So far, no joy. A hair over 1" for the whole month of June. Nearly 10" for April, but it doesn't help much now. Because of my quick-draining soil, that much rain just runs off into the bay.

    The dewpoint is 74 this morning. Horrible humidity, and no rain.

  • gardenweed_z6a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Mary - I checked my local forecast and I hope you're right but until I see fat drops of rain, I'm skeptical. They just get it so wrong so often.
    Nan - I'm with you on the humidity. Makes me cranky as a spring bear after just a few hours of the 'pea soup' kind where your clothes stick to your body like you put glue inside.
    One thing's for certain--should it actually rain, I have every available bucket lined up ready to catch whatever overflows the gutter on my breezeway and along the front of the house. That's about all I can think of to do.

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    13 years ago

    Been very lucky here. Every time I think of hauling out the hoses, we start having rain and this morning is it. We just had a downpour and the rain is fore-casted to stay for 3 days. :O) Just in time!!

  • neverenoughflowers
    13 years ago

    Glory Hallelujah, its raining here too!

  • caryltoo Z7/SE PA
    13 years ago

    With you Carol. The rain is sooo welcome. Husband lost a canoe trip this morning, but isn't complaining. This is exactly what we needed -- it's actually penetrating and not flooding the areas where a heavy rain would run off and sit in puddles.

    Caryl

  • glad2garden
    13 years ago

    It finally rained here too!!! I was getting worried about the lilacs and everything else, actually. They were beginning to look stressed. I hope it rains for a couple of days now.

    I remember a drought we had in the late '70s. It was awful.

  • trudi_d
    13 years ago

    It poured and it poured and it poured so hard and it came in under the back basement door and we mopped and we mopped and we mopped.

    When it rains it pours. Tsk.

  • not_a_contessa
    13 years ago

    Today was a busy day for the backhoe operator who had to put the road sides back together after the large blue stone gravel had been washed out in several places. It's funny how the grass that was all brown and dry yesterday is all green again today. We really needed rain, I hope you got as much as you wanted and needed too.

    Mary

  • MissMyGardens
    13 years ago

    Congrats to all who got some rain.

    Today for about the 32nd straight day the rain came either just north or south of us. We came within 2 towns away of a downpour on Friday.

    Rain dancing hasn't worked...maybe if I had some rhythm it would help.

    I'm ready to break out the old, old Italian wive's tale of putting a statue of Mary backwards on a window sill! You were supposed to put one facing OUT if you wanted a sunny day so I figure backwards would be for getting some clouds and rain. LOL

  • donn_
    13 years ago

    "It poured and it poured and it poured so hard.."

    What a difference a few miles can make. We got 1/100 of an inch. It evaporated upon landing.

  • caryltoo Z7/SE PA
    13 years ago

    We had a nice steady rain most of yesterday, but I'm not sure it's enough to counter the weeks of dry. The grass looks a little better this morning, but we probably need a few more days of rain before it recovers completely. The weeds, however, look nice and happy. I swear they grew some more overnight.

    This week's forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms most days, but too often those seem to just miss us. They seem to go to the west or north.

  • ohiovalleygardener
    13 years ago

    Still not enough rain to fill a teacup at my house. Got maybe 1/100 of an inch on Fri. I love the rain why does it keep jumping over my neighborhood? I have maybe offended the rain spirits.

  • austinnhanasmom
    13 years ago

    I wash and HAND wax my car. Brings rain nearly every time.

  • trudi_d
    13 years ago

    What a difference a few miles can make. We got 1/100 of an inch. It evaporated upon landing.

    Such are the whims of weather on LI ;-(

  • gardenweed_z6a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Condolences to all who got either no rain or a measly 1/100th of an inch. What fell here didn't register on my rain gauge but it did rain briefly during a t-storm just before noon. It remained cloudy & humid the rest of the day with intermittent misting but not anything substantial. The top 1/8th inch of soil was damp this morning.
    I'm grateful for what moisture we did get but don't expect the situation to improve much in the days ahead in view of the forecast.
    Along with the joys of gardening come headaches, frustration & disappointment. Like most things in life, you gotta take the good with the not-so-good and just keep going.

  • ontheteam
    13 years ago

    I wash and HAND wax my car. Brings rain nearly every time. I ROTFLMAO at that.. HOW TRUE.. and I am going to go try it NOW lol..

    We were supposed to get for the weekend clouds and periods of sun with rain in between... WE got sun and one tiny rain cloud that lasted for 4 mins. I have 4 very dry 55 gal rain barrels that need a filling!

    Its made me greatful for all the shade( HA that;s a 1st for me) I have only had to water ever otehr day..even new plants... and the grass is green and hardly growing. But I am dragging the house around to water and using the faucet. I MUCH prefer the rain water.

  • ontheteam
    13 years ago

    And just as I predicted it worked....about 9 pm the loudest thunder EVER and rain... for about 2 hours.. whoo hoo!!

  • not_a_contessa
    13 years ago

    That is so funny, and so true, practically a guarantee of rain. Sorry I didn't think about that rain dance, Gardenweed.

    Mary

  • gardenweed_z6a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    That's okay, Mary. It's the thought that counts. I'm using water from the dehumidifier in the cellar to water what I planted behind the garage yesterday. With this humidity, it's taking a couple gallons out of the air every 6-8 hours.

  • countrycarolyn
    13 years ago

    I waited all last week for rain the weather forecast was 80% chance of rain.... Well the rain did not come. So I broke down and finally watered lol cause I figured it is only a 20% tomorrow we will not see any of that rain. Of course as my luck has it if I want it to rain all I have to do is water my plants, and it comes a monsoon. Needless to say we got 2 to 3 inches yesterday.

    Oh and the storm is moving to the north east so more rain for you guys on the east coast.

  • gardenweed_z6a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    countrycarolyn - I'd welcome 2-3 inches of rain at this point. We're back to dry-as-dust with no measurable rain in the forecast. My poor hydrangeas are wilting and even tough plants like sea holly are beginning to look a bit desperate. Every time I turn around I find another pot that's dry as dust & weighs no more than a couple ounces. I've been setting those in deep bins of water so they can get completely hydrated again.

    My neighbor is, of course, mowing his dust (read grass, if there was any left). We get to listen to his mower revved up for the next couple hours (he refuses to throttle it back once it's running) while he mows the dried up grass he calls a lawn.
    Sigh...

  • kqcrna
    13 years ago

    We had a wet June, but no rain to speak of yet in July. We did have a 10 minute shower Thurs and again Friday, a thimble full each time, but that has been it. Total for those 2 days was five hundreths of an inch.

    Here goes the water bill again.

    Karen

  • glad2garden
    13 years ago

    "Here goes the water bill again." Yep, got THAT right~

    I've given up on watering the grass, but I'm watering the flowers out front (not in the back yard, though) and the pots.

    Victoria

  • gardenerbythelake
    13 years ago

    I just got caught in a downpour at lunch. My hair flopped and my shoes are soggy. I'm soooo happy!

  • kqcrna
    13 years ago

    We got a nice slow steady rain for an hour or two this morning. Probably wasn't a whole lot but definitely welcome.

    Karen

  • countrycarolyn
    13 years ago

    Gardenweed if I am reading your state right the same storm is heading your way. We had more rain last night, I think it has moved out of our area and is in ohio and east tn. Give it a few more days and I would say it should be to you by the end of the week. The humidity that comes after is not a pleasant thing though but I am still thankful for the rain.

    Wed and Thursday temps of 95 but heat index of 105 to 112!! They have already put out a heat advisory for my area.

  • gardenweed_z6a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the heads-up countrycarolyn. ItÂs finally raining here but it's very light so far. They've posted flash flood advisories all around me but not for where I am. It's such a light rain, it would have to keep raining like this for a week to even make a difference. I keep telling myself the ground is so dry that if it rains hard & fast it'll just run off.

    I don't have the courage to look at tomorrow & Thursday's forecasts.

    I can't believe the pansies I planted back in April are still blooming! Just shows you how tenacious plants can be. Being near the faucet, they've been watered frequently but with the extreme heat, I expected them to give up weeks ago. They're all different blue ones so at least they look cool.

  • terrene
    13 years ago

    Gardenweed, I almost started a thread on the New England gardening forum with the exact same title!

    It has been so hot and dry here. The plants are really stressed and this may lead to a few more casualties than usual. I am watering to keep things alive at a minimum. There is lots blooming, except most of the flowers look smaller than usual or kinda brown and shrively.

    Weather underground says "Chance of rain near 100%" for tonight. Going to bed soon and so far it's only drizzled a little. Will do a rain dance in my dreams....

  • ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a
    13 years ago

    Oh my gosh- yesterday we finally had rain after I don't know how many rainless days.
    I was so excited, I drove to the park, and just stood about in the rain.
    At times it was a steady nice rain, which I HOPED fervently would continue all day. But it only lasted 1/2 day - still big improvement over NO rain.
    This morning it was raining, now I'm not sure. But at least it is cloudy.
    Never thot I would wish the sun would go away, but after so many days after days of sun and no rain, I am glad for a cloudy day.
    I didn't expect this much rain, so am glad, but still not enough rain to put this area safely out of the dry zone.

  • gardenweed_z6a
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    terrene - doesn't surprise me one bit. Great minds DO think alike after all! (;-p)

    This morning a woman at work told me they had torrential downpours last night where she lives, which is about 25 miles' driving distance southwest of me. We got sprinkles and nothing more. Today it rained off and on...unfortunately, more off than on. The bottoms of the buckets I set out are barely damp. They posted more flash flood alerts but it has done no more than mist here. I pushed some mulch back that a critter had disturbed and it was bone dry a quarter inch underneath.

    The plant nannies are keeping my tomato plants in containers hydrated as well as a number of other planters I set annuals in each year. Guess my original gardening motto 40 years ago was the right one after all--only grow it if it thrives on neglect & abuse.

    ellenr - if it started raining here like it did where you are, I'd go out and stand in it too.

  • countrycarolyn
    13 years ago

    Well gardenweed I hope that means the humidity that follows that rain storm misses you as well since you didn't get the rain.

    It is 7:30 pm and the heat index is 105. Ugg, I am ready for winter after a day like today.

  • kqcrna
    13 years ago

    Please don't say that! I had enough winter last year to last me a lifetime
    {{gwi:417708}}

    We ended up getting about an inch of rain yesterday. Unfortunately, temps returned to the 90s and high humidity.

    Karen

  • terrene
    13 years ago

    Sorry you didn't get any real rain Gardenweed. As a gardener, it is a dire situation. I woke up yesterday and could tell right away from the smell of the air we hadn't got anything more than a spit. I was bummed. Then later in the morning, we got rain for about an hour! One whole inch! I was so happy.

    But then thought about how many days of dry baking heat we've had, and then how much rain 1 inch is, and realized we need a lot more yet....but an inch is better than nothing.

    Tomorrow back to hot and dry?? :(

  • caryltoo Z7/SE PA
    13 years ago

    Karen, you had to post that picture? LOL. I'm having flashbacks to our five feet of snow in a week in February. Never want a winter like that again.

    We finally got some rain here. Steady for half of Saturday, and then some nice downpours earlier this week. Unfortunately it's going to be very hot the next few days.

    Caryl

  • just1morehosta
    13 years ago

    Oh Please, no snow pictures, not yet!
    It is so hot here today,you could cook an egg on the pavement,heat index yesterday was 105,was suppose to rain last night, but nota.
    Even though it is hot, I will take this over snow any day.
    Hope ya all get rain real soon. cAROL

  • kqcrna
    13 years ago

    Ha! It was just a reminder for those wishing for winter.

    Supposed to be in the mid 90s here today with a heat index around 100. I went out to play in the dirt early this morning but finally gave up. My gardens need work but that's not going to happen in this heat/humidity. I need a shower.

    Karen

  • countrycarolyn
    13 years ago

    Ok Karen, you win granted we do not get much snow around these parts but I guess I rather sweat like a stuffed pig than to freeze my tuishy off, LOL.

    Though the pictures do kinda cool me off just thinking about that cold wet snow. Hey by the way wheres the snowman??

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