Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Taking a Break


Finally, a much needed rain shower! It has been a while to say the least. It has been hot and dry here. I love a good summer shower for its ability to give me a break from watering. How do you know if you can really take that watering break? It is imperative that you have a rain gauge. Nothing fancy is needed. I think mine is a freebie from a bank that is now defunct. You just want one that is easy to read. The next step is to place it in a good spot. Make sure it is in an open location where something like an over hanging tree will not block the rain as it comes down. A popular spot is the top of a tall fence. Sometimes a quick summer shower will seem like a down pour but will really not drop that much rain. One or two tenths is not that much in the heat of the summer. I would suggest you need at least a half an inch to give yourself a day off. Rain gauges are typically read in tenths of an inch. Each line equals one tenth. The proper way to read is at the bottom of the meniscus. As you look at the water in the gauge, it will have a slight curve, that curve is the meniscus and you want to take your reading at the bottom. My gauge says five tenths or half an inch so, I will be on the porch enjoying the smell of rain!