Prepare For Rainfall On Your Plot

The sunshine has been beating down for weeks now, so allotments and gardens across the UK could do with a good rain shower to soak the soil and let the crops absorb this vital resource. But what happens when it does eventually rain? Here’s how to prepare your garden for the wettest day of summer.

Get The Waterbutts Ready
Being resourceful with water is really important and rainwater is a great resource to have. It not only means that you are working your plot in a more sustainable way, as you are using less tap water, but it will also save you money on water bills! So, the days of high rainfall are a time to restock the low (or already empty!) waterbutts that you may have on your plot. If you don’t have any, then prepare for the time ahead and purchase a waterbutt for your garden or allotment so you can collect this precious resource, too! Pipes can accurately lead the flow of water into the storage systems on your plot. If they are empty, then it is an ideal time to give them a complete clean, ready for refilling, as this will help prevent diseases.

Turn Off The Timers
Having watering systems on timers is a brilliant way to make sure that crops get the resources they need without having to remember to carry out this daily task. If there is a large amount of rainfall forecast, however, then you can switch timers, which are watering plants outside, off for the day – you don’t need to use tap water when this natural resource is available. It is worth making sure, however, that the rainfall is sufficient and enough for your plants to make use of.

Prepare The Plot
With the beaming sunshine it can seem impossible to think that a large amount of rainfall should suddenly fall, but is is important to check that your plot is ready for the downpour. Make sure that any crops drying, like onions and garlic, are not susceptible to getting damp from the rain, and check you haven’t left out any packets of seeds – they can be stored safely in seed tins or boxes inside. It is also a good idea to be organised and put away any tools in the shed.

When will it rain?
The day that is expected to be the wettest this summer is August 5, 2018! This is according to research from Glowing Embers which collated 30 years worth of data to find out when statistically the wettest day of the summer can be expected. The East of England, however, should have their wettest day on July 30, while Scotland can expect the most rain!

The infographic map, put together by Glowing Embers, shows the date in the UK you can expect the wettest day in your area, as well as the average rainfall.

To see the map in more detail click here.

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