Recent rains

[Damian Bee]

It has been raining quite regularly in the past 12 to 18 months. Melbournes water levels are back up above 50%, parts of Victoria have had their best crops in over 30 years and the legend of my back lawn being under water has come true. I have witnessed it pooling a few times this year since top dressing it. How has your area/state fared during the rains? have you noticed the changes in foliage growth (and people)?

[bodhidharma]

Yes, i am quite exasperated at trying to keep up with the trimming. At the moment it is completely impossible and i am asking visitors to grab a pair of scissors and trim a tree while they are walking around I have never experienced the speed of growth which is happening at the moment. It rains very heavily and then the sun comes out. If i trim a tree it is out shape within the week. I can actually watch my trees grow. I am an advocate of heavy ferts and watering but might have to try and slow them down.

[shibui]

Same here Bodhi. It certainly takes a bit to keep up with them this year. Rainwater tanks are all full too. We got another 10mm in as many minutes yesterday and have gentle rain today since about 9am so I've been potting up cuttings this morning in the igloo where it is dry and warm.

[Mitchell]

Had a customer come into my store, desperate to find the answer to where the water in his yard was coming from. Cool fresh clear water. From the direction of travel he could tell it wasn't from a neighboring property.

I gave relevant details of drainage consultants. I also asked him to go to the neighbors and see if they had any issues as well.

The man returned today, apparently before his property was developed 10 years ago there was a natural spring which had dried up a few years prior, hence not having by law to lay drainage when developing.

After 10years the natural aquifer had begun flowing again. So yes I have noticed at least one thing strange this year.

[damo19]

I'm on the Gold Coast and despite the consistent rain we have had, it appears as though the growth of my trees is slower this year than past years. Could it be a lack of warmth and sunshine?

Cheers,
Damo

[Taffy]

Certainly not happening here on the Fraser Coast Damo. My trees are putting on heaps of growth. Growth that I wouldn't normally see until the December rains kick in.

[EricB]

In South Australia, it has rained more than in previous years last winter and this spring (nothing compared to Victoria though). Some bonsai friends are reporting better growth than usual, which they put down to their secret feeding regime...

Eric

[Damian Bee]

Yeah secret feeding regimes. Its like the Colonels 11 secret herbs and spices etc...
Weather does have a lot to do with it, rainfall carries carbonic acid which is quite beneficial to plant life (providing it is not in the concentrations seen in Europe in the 19th century ).

[stymie]

Is anyone feeling the heat out there?

snow 1.12.10 #1.jpg

This U.K. weather could refresh you.

snow 1.12.10 #2.jpg

They don't seem to be putting on much growth at the moment.
Sleigh bells ring.

[stymie]

No, it isn't sugar candy. It is a sort of frozen drizzle that we call snow. Not scarce at the moment.

snowman melts.gif

snowball.gif

Snowflakes_fall.gif

You wouldn't believe what fun it is. NONE.

[ozzy]

Global warming my R's

[Mojo Moyogi]

For almost all locations in and around Melbourne, this year there has been an above average rainfall year. What is remarkable is the variation from recent years (1997-2009) and in particular, last year.

Here's a few examples as of 9am on 2/12/2010:

Werribee - Werribee Catchment
Long term Median Rainfall: 520.6mm
2009 Year to date: 194.6mm
2010 Year to date: 560.6mm

Melbourne - North Wharf -Yarra Catchement
Long term Median Rainfall: 644.6mm
2009 Year to date: 383.4mm
2010 Year to date: 660.4mm

Mt St Leonard - Maroondah Catchment (5km from my place)
Long term Median Rainfall: 1393.2mm
2009 Year to date: 929.8mm
2010 Year to date: 1520.2mm


The best thing about the higher than usual rainfall has been that the rain has come in large downpours with sunny days in between, this has easily been the best spring growth I have seen in 14 years of growing bonsai. Now I just have to train the mosquitoes to trim trees for me

Sources:
http://www.melbournewater.com.au/conten ... _data.asp#
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/ ... ames.shtml

[ozzy]

I have noticed the difference in the wild olives at my collecting spots that are responding to the good conditions that we are having at the moment, masses of new growth and trees full of olives, don't think I've seen them looking that healthy in the twelve years since I've been collecting them, they haven't changed much in the previous years but now they are really making hay while the sun shines, I guess thats what wild trees do though, lie low during the bad times then really make up for it when the conditions are right.

[Matthew]

a large storm just went over my head here. We have had rain the last 5 days straight , thats 146mm since last saturday so far with more predicted. i came done at the right time

[ozzy]

So you're building an ark then?