It’s been raining for days, interrupted by a few hours of sunshine here and there. Not entirely bad, the water is appreciated, but so is sun. We’re up to 3-1/2 inches (around 85 mm) in the last week…
Weather
50 mm
You don’t see that too often around here: two inches (50 mm) of rain over the last day or so, and this after weeks of hot and dry. It’s about time!
What’s up, early May?
Days are warm, nights are often still sub-freezing, and it hasn’t rained in weeks. Anything that looks like it’s growing is grass.
Sprinklers in action
Two sprinklers in action. Morning and evening are usually good for watering: less wind, less evaporation… Still, sprinklers (a necessary evil at this point) are hardly efficient.
Sunny day
When it’s raining, you wait for the sun. After a few days of sun, you look out for some rain. Cloudy and dry isn’t much good for growing, but it’s perfect for working in the field, ideal for transplanting, and better for germinating seeds as long as it’s also warm. Windy isn’t helpful: even in a stiff breeze, sprinklers are way less efficient and steady wind will dry out the soil, and plants, faster than anything. Then again, air movement moderates temperature, spreads pollen, and generally keeps things moving. So you kind of need it all…
It’s all about the rain…
The jumbo rain gauge is something to keep an eye on. Once in a while, that little red disc floats upwards, and then, you’re looking for the magic 25 (millimeters, that is, a nice inch of rain).
