0.65" rain; 5.21" total

18 Feb 2016 0.65"

February is normally our wettest month.  In terms of 30 day periods of time, Jan 18 through Feb 17th is typically our wettest 30 day period.  Not this year; we are well below the median rainfall despite the big El Nino. 

The game isn't over, however.  Remember the March Miracle of a several years ago? 

2016-02-07

Wrong place wrong climate

Pay attention to the tall tree in the middle of this guy's lawn.


It looks like a redwood. This one Is just a youngster but it looks like it's in ill health. This tree is located in an Inland S. Ca. community. Probably not getting enough water.

If the owner is lucky it will die soon and be taken down at only modest expense. The alternative is that it gets bigger and more costly to take down (or falls down) in a decade when it finally succumbs to less than optimum growing conditions.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Don't know or don't care

Hmmm. What's this?


Don't let your dog urinate....



Oh it's just a warning sign about their new sod and it's screwed to this poor Chinese elm. This is a warm summer inland community.

I guess they haven't heard about the drought.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2016-02-04

Rainwater Colander

Here's a "rainwater colander", an inline downspout rainwater diverter, a product I first stumbled across at my Home Depot while looking for a downspout extender to better direct rainwater into my garden. It snaps in to your existing gutter downspout (provided you use one that is sized for your downspout). It's "designed to filter out debris in rainwater collection barrels and systems" including surge tanks and "can connect to a garden hose to water plants directly".
The image shown is Amerimax brand, available at Orchard Supply Hardware and elsewhere for around $10 or less.  This seems to be the least expensive that's readily available.

2016-02-02

Rain barrels in other places

I saw a rain barrel a week ago that appeared to be completely justified by local weather and usage patterns.