Topic: Droughts

[duh]

This is new to me being on a well system and being in a drought.  I'm afraid of the well going dry but I don't want to loose everything I've planted either.  Anyone have any idea how I can keep my plants alive?

Most of my plants are drought tolerant meaning they can go for about 9 days without watering.  But months no not that drought tolerant.  What do I do?

I'm beginning to believe I should just plant cactus.

[bestofour]

We're on a well too Tammy and I wonder the same thing.  Do you know how many gallons of water you get a minute.  I asked Johnny how to know and his answer is typical male  "You just use it and if it goes it goes."

[duh]

not a recent well report and the one I have I'm not sure how many other of the trailers in this area where here. 

My water pressure is alittle lower than when I lived in town.  That's all I know.  And that if I am watering the garden I don't have much water pressure in the house.

[Tina]

Tammy, I live in the desert and on a well system. The best part of my well is no electricity to pump it. But it has gone dry in years past and you just do not water. Most plants will live longer than you think without additional watering. They will look ratty and not what you envisioned when you planted them but they will survive a season or two on whatever they can glean. And I have had many cactus die to drought.
Water conservation is a lifestyle. My sinks and toilets go into the septic system. But my washer and bathtubs go into a separate pipe that waters my trees near my house. When I have a drink and the ice is left melting, it goes outside on plants. My kids don't always finish a  can of soda or a bottled water, it goes outside and dumped on its way to the recycle cans. When I defrost a freezer and there is ice chunks, they go on my plants. Mopping floors, plants get the pail. Any rain water runoff is redirected where it will do the most good.
It takes some extra work but not much when you have a system going. And the biggest thing is that gray water. It is really a fairly simple project in a manufactured home. And has the most impact.

[duh]

Those sound like good ideas but I'm wondering how well they would work for me.

One I'm on a slope and the garden is above me so gray water would have to be pumped right?  That's a problem.

I don't do soda or bottled water although those sound like good ideas.

I do take any water than has gotten warm outside.

I was thinking about rain barrels on the house and the shed.  I guess that will be my christmas present to me.  I can at least keep the foundation beds watered that way.  I've lost most of the pansies in that bed. 

[Tina]

Then yes, your gray water would need to be either pumped or carried up bucket by bucket. But the same would hold true for your rain barrel(s).
Half of my plantings or more are above me on my hillside but the rest are level or below. I guess I am lucky in that. What is behind/below your house, Tammy? Any ideas for growing back there?

[duh]

the drain field is back there and lawn such as it is.  Past that is all forrested.  All of it is drought tolerant.  Someday I hope to clear paths back there, the home of the future root cellar is back there.  And with luck, I'll add shade plants and ferns as the money becomes available.  But that is many many years off and I may not be able to do that just because I'm getting older every year lol.