Here we go again…need rain

[Howboutthemdawgs]

What’s the old farmer saying…you’re only 7 days away from a drought or something like that. Well we’ve turned drier than a popcorn fart already. Seed went in the ground this past weekend in the dust and no rain for the next 10 days predicted. I never found a summer I liked

 

[JAW]

I hear you, Howbout. I watch various weather services daily to see if my newly-planted spruce trees and my 4th-leaf apple trees are getting any rain. Very little rain in west-central MN again this year (Zone 4a). My watering efforts, using one gallon milk jugs, are keeping the spruce alive, but hand watering is likely not sustainable given I live more than two hours away. Watching and praying for rain...

 

[PatinPA]

Ya it's a dust bowl here too. I transplanted some blueberries this spring and I think I've lost a couple of them due to not getting enough rain and not being able to make it out to water them.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

All week this week the forecast has said 50%-80% chance of thunderstorms, We havent gotten a drop yet.

 

[Foggy47]

Very Dry here too in No Central MN. Some spotty storms slipped by to the west yesterday......so I suppose a few folks got a little rain. I got 8 acres of clove / ryer.....and it's all starting to dry up.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

We got about 1/10th the other day but that is it for a few weeks. My corn and bean plots are looking good but not sure when I'll be planting my Buckwheat. I did a chemical burndown this week now I just need to get the seed and wait for rain.

 

[DJN]

Dry is right! We had a couple showers the first 4 days of May in NE Ohio, and then a quarter inch on the 20th. Nothing since and extended forecast is hot and dry for the next 2+ weeks. I feel like I spend all my free time watering plants at this point. Between 400+ potted apple trees, a garden, and all new landscape plantings around the house, it’s a full time job just keeping everything alive Have a half acre of sunflowers ready to plant, but if I put the seed down now, the birds and neighbors chickens would have every last one eaten before we got rain on them. Fingers crossed for some precip sooner than later!!

 

[hesseu]

I need to try and find the source...but I believe it stated past 12 months in many areas of the midwest (May to May or June to June) have been the driest 12 month period on record. I don't see an end in sight either for right now. BUT, I believe 2011-2013 was much like this if I recall correctly.

 

[Barndog56]

Same here in central Wisconsin. The garden, flowers, and Xmas trees got me watering every day. The apples haven't needed it yet, but 4 more 90 degree days with no rain in sight means I'll have to drag out all my hoses in a couple days. I remulched the youngest half of my trees last fall, so that's helping.

I have a dozen milk jugs full of wildflowers I winter sowed that are ready to transplant, but I won't do til we get some good forecasts.

 

[bigboreblr]

Close to not being able to count on my hands n toes how many time I watered my apples trees. Got a 1/2 acre of nice looking rye. Was debating mowing it, but leaving it alone till august. Some of the weeds are dying in it due to drought. 40% chance of thunderstorms this weekend.

 

[bwoods11]

Weird year because there are very few areas that have too much rain ! Most of the Midwest is dry ! Not good !

 

[Hoytvectrix]

The saving grace for what I have seen has been these cooler evening temperatures and heavy dew mornings. With the evening temps moving up now, I suspect there is going to be quite a bit of drought symptoms showing up across the Midwest. Definitely a weird year. We normally aren't all stressing about temps and moisture for most of May and early June.

 

[hunts_with_stick]

I was just thinking I probably need to head out and water my trees. I should have done it last weekend, but the rain they predicted never happened.

 

[Native Hunter]

The only things I will be watering this year are about 6 trees and a few small shrubs I set this spring. Everything else will make it - even if we have a bad drought. The chicory and clover I planted last fall are really being hit hard right now, and it doesn't get too dry for chicory to flourish. Planting it in the fall is good insurance for summer food even though the weather may be dry. Neighboring farmers have just put soybeans in the ground at both of my farms. I've never seen soybeans fail from drought around here, but I know it is possible. Based on the forecast, this could be the year they fail.

 

[Foggy47]

I have an unusual situation. Most of my land is only 2 to 6 feet above the water table. (On my highest ground the water table may be about 10 feet deep). Any plant or tree with an established deep tap root will find water. Thus...even in a drought year.....my pine trees will normally grow about 16" to 18". Still.....the sandy top soils dry out in a few days. Watching plots wither due to lack of moisture....when the moisture is so nearby....is quite frustrating.

I can remember one dry year.....when I tried to auger some post holes for my gate posts. Could only get about 30" deep.....and the water was running and causing surrounding sand in the hole to collapse. Could dig no deeper. Odd stuff.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

We were almost 4” behind in May alone..I have 7 new apple/pear/crab trees planted this spring that will probably need some watering here if we don’t get some rain in the next week or so..the record high temps today and tomorrow aren’t helping either…

 

[Turkey Creek]

We were getting dry, but luckily got a good soaking 2.5" rain on Monday. Wish I had all my food plots seeded but it is what it is. Posted an update on my Maple Hill Farm post that shows my craziness (LOL) a week ago.

 

[SD51555]

My place is in yellow. I can handle about stage 3 then I start getting crispy.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Damn Kansas needs some cloud seeding or chemtrails or whatever it is that makes it rain.

 

[fishin coyote]

I believe we only had 1 day of rain in May at my place and that was on the 20th. We got less than a half inch according to my gauge. So far the 100 plus shrubs I planted seem to be holding their own but I have a couple of fruit trees in the yard that are going to need watered and I‘m under a 150 gallons left in the rain tanks for them and my garden.