Must be our fourth or fifth week without rain? [Updated]

[Updated]
The ‘bucket on wheels’ was taking longer than usual to fill so I popped the top of the tanks and had a squiz.
I can see the bottom of the tank, which can't be good!
Not going to plant anything until it rains. Easier to manage them in pots.
The forecast reckons the 'plateau' is going to get some rain this week (and some thunderstorms). Usually I look back and up at the mountains behind Otaki and smile, cause they are getting dumped on, while the beach is dry and basking in the rays. 
Looks like the preverbal is on the other foot :-)

I've decided to water the non edibles with town water. Save what water I can fit the veg. Really don’t want chlorine in my soil.




Local gardeners have started to complain about dry spell.
Town water is metered, and some of the smaller tanks are running dry.

last month everyone was bitch'n about soggy soil and mould.
The weather flip has been crazy. Bright emerald lawns that demanded to be mown every couple of days, have suddenly become withered and yellow.

I'm watering every second day right now including all of the young trees.
I'm getting a lot of exercise heaving a couple of watering cans all over the property. It’s taking me a good couple of hours so while I’m watering, I'm devoting some major mental energy to thinking that some sort of irrigation for next year.
Buy something or make it?

My water regime:
Fill the big ‘bucket on wheels’ with water.
Fill the two smaller buckets while the hose runs into the ‘bucket on wheels’.
Lug the two smaller buckets all over the property.
I leave a branch of comfrey steeping in the ‘bucket on wheels’.

In the back of the photo there, you might spy my seaweed tank. Stinky stuff has been dissolving in there all winter. I’m a little afraid to crack it open. It’s not going to be pretty in there.

When I moved in a couple of years back and started improving the garden, the first thing I wanted to address was water. Long dry Otaki summer days remind me of Oz.
Underused for the last couple of summers. This year the tanks are justifying the expense.

These tanks were purchased through a scheme the Kapiti council was running. Essentially an interest free loan. They bought the tanks and I pay them off with a levy on my water bill.
I'm told that this scheme has now ended which is a shame. Everyone should has some sort of on-site water storage.


Tall and narrow so don't take up a lot of space, these tanks were pretty much the first thing I added to the property.
There is also the added benefit of providing a clean water source if there is a break in the town water supply.


When I was pear picking, one of the managers told me that he thought rainwater was better than the stuff pulled up from a bore. He reckons that not only is the water softer with less minerals, it's got more nitrogen in it.
I’m also glad I don’t have to dose the garden with ‘whatever treatments’ town water has added to it.