A Very Dry Spring

 It was 8 pm on Tuesday the 20th May and I had just finished planting out some brassica plants (cauliflower and red cabbage, Photo 1) when I felt an unusual sensation on my cheek. It was raining?! Not a lot (0.4 mm) and not for long (less than five minutes). Although light rain had been forecast (30% probability), it was unusual because this Spring has been the driest on record. 

Photo 1: Brassica Plants Under Netting

More light rain is forecast over the next few days so it is fortunate that I have triple-protected the brassica plants from slugs (nematodes, hosta halos and organic slug pellets).

I can definitely state that this has been the driest spring for our back garden, although records only go back to 2020! As I write this post, the data for May 2025 is up to and including the 21st May. We are forecast to have a little more rain this month but not much.

Figure 1: Rainfall for March, April, May and Spring (MAM): 2020-2025

As Figure 1 illustrates, Spring 2025 has been extraordinarily dry with rainfall only 25% that of the most recent five years. March, April & May were, respectively, the driest, third driest and second driest Spring months in Hereford for the past six years.

The nearest Met Office weather station is at Credenhill, just a few miles away. For the climate period 1991-2020, Spring rainfall at Credenhill averaged 152.41 mm, nearly five times this year's Spring rainfall in our back garden! Naturally, the garden water butts are running dry and we have had to do irrigate the garden more frequently. Having a bowl in the kitchen sink is a useful and simple way to re-use grey water in the garden.