Making the Most of Post-Rain Windows

 After two weeks of heavy downpours, any gardener will tell you there's nothing quite like that first proper day when you can get back onto the allotment without sinking ankle-deep into mud. The rain's been a blessing and a curse this season – our crops have loved every drop, but the weeds have taken it as an open invitation to stage a complete takeover.

This week has been absolutely full-on between the showers. Every dry spell has been precious, and we've made the most of each one. The family's rallied round brilliantly, with Sam and Iris both mucking in to tackle the mountain of work that builds up when you can't get onto the plot for days at a time.

The Great Weed Battle

Let's be honest – after heavy rain, weeding becomes less of a garden chore and more of an archaeological dig. The soil's been soft enough that weeds have put down roots like they're planning to stay forever, and some of the brambles have made territorial claims that would make a solicitor weep.

Sam's been a proper trooper with the weed pulling. At thirty, he's got the back for the heavy work that I'm starting to feel more keenly these days. He's developed his own technique over the years – a systematic approach that sees him work methodically along each bed, getting right down to root level. No half measures with him. If there's a dandelion root system spreading underground, he'll track it down like a detective.

The boy's particularly good with the persistent perennials – those bindweed networks that seem to connect half the allotment underground, and the dock roots that go down to Australia. This week he's cleared a good section of the main vegetable beds, and you can see the difference already. The soil's breathing again, and our crops have room to stretch out properly.

Young Iris has thrown herself into the lighter weeding with typical teenage determination. Sixteen years old and not afraid of getting her hands dirty, she's been working her way through the onion beds and around the flower borders. Her approach is different from Sam's – more detailed, more precise. She spots the small interlopers that the rest of us might miss, those sneaky little seedlings that will become next month's major headaches if left unchecked.

The Art of the Hoe

Now, hoeing after heavy rain requires a bit of judgment. Too soon and you're just making mud pies. Wait too long and the weeds have set up permanent residence. This week we hit that sweet spot – soil moist enough that the hoe slices through cleanly, but dry enough that the severed weeds actually die rather than just transplanting themselves a few inches over.

I've been working the main paths and between the larger crops with my Wolf push-pull hoe, which all three of us have been using. There's something deeply satisfying about that clean slice through the soil surface, cutting off weeds at ground level and leaving a neat, cultivated finish. The rain had packed the soil down in places, so the hoeing's served double duty – dealing with weeds and breaking up that surface crust to let air and future water penetrate properly.

The timing's been crucial this week. Between the scattered showers, we've had these perfect windows – maybe an hour or two when conditions are just right. I've learned to read the sky and the soil, grabbing the hoe the moment things look promising. It's like a race against time, trying to cover as much ground as possible before the next downpour sends us running for cover.

Iris and the Flowers

While Sam and I have been wrestling with the heavier work, Iris has taken charge of the flower maintenance. She's been deadheading everything in sight, and the difference is remarkable. The calendula and marigolds are responding with a fresh flush of blooms, the dahlias are putting on their second show of the season, and even the roses are managing another round despite the battering they took from the storms.

There's something quite lovely about watching her work among the flowers. She's got an eye for detail that comes naturally – spotting spent blooms that need removing, noticing which stems need support, identifying the few flowers worth leaving to set seed for next year. The deadheading work is perfect for her – detailed enough to hold her interest, but not so physically demanding that it becomes a chore.

The girl's particularly good with the delicate flowers. Those petunias that bend and break if you look at them wrong, the nicotiana with its papery seed pods that need careful handling – she manages them all with a gentle touch that gets results without casualties.

Late Season Colour

Sam's been busy this week getting some late dwarf sunflowers planted out. These are the varieties that'll give us colour right through into autumn when everything else is starting to look tired. He's chosen a spot along the south edge of the potato patch where they'll get maximum sun throughout the day.

The timing's perfect for these plantings. The soil's warm and moist from all the rain, so they'll establish quickly without needing constant watering. Sam's prepared the ground properly, working in some of our own compost and making sure the drainage is spot-on. These dwarf varieties are brilliant for extending the season – they'll be flowering when the main summer display is winding down, giving us something bright to look at through September and October.

He's gone for a mix of varieties – some deep golden yellows, a few bronze-toned ones, and some of those lovely pale lemon-coloured types. Planted in drifts, they'll create quite a show. The beauty of these late plantings is that they're coming on just as everything else reaches maturity, so by the time they're flowering, we'll have a proper autumn display.

The Grass Cutting Marathon

While the family's been dealing with weeds and flowers, I've been wrestling with the grass. After weeks of rain, it's grown like something from a fairy tale – thick, lush, and completely out of control. The main paths were starting to disappear under the growth, and some of the less-used areas looked more like meadow than managed allotment space.

Getting the mower out after all that wet weather is always a bit of a production. First, there's the question of whether the ground's firm enough to take the weight without creating ruts. Then there's the small matter of cutting grass that's gone from lawn height to hayfield proportions in what feels like no time at all.

I've had to take it slowly, cutting little and often rather than trying to get it all back to normal in one go. The mower's been working overtime, and I've been working in sections, letting the cut grass dry between sessions so it doesn't clog everything up. The difference is remarkable though – suddenly the allotment looks managed again, with clear paths and defined growing areas.

Tidying the Soft Fruit

One job that's made a real difference this week has been putting fresh wood chippings down around the raspberry canes and gooseberry bushes. The old mulch had broken down completely after all the rain, and the bare soil was starting to look untidy. Worse, without that protective layer, weeds were getting established right around the base of the plants where they're hardest to remove.

The new chippings have transformed the whole area. Not only does it look neat and well-maintained, but the practical benefits are immediate. The mulch will suppress weeds, retain moisture during any dry spells we might get, and gradually break down to improve the soil. It's one of those jobs that feels good while you're doing it and continues to pay dividends for months afterwards.

I've used a mixture of different wood chips – some fine material that'll break down quickly, and some larger pieces for longer-term structure. The key is getting it thick enough to suppress weeds but not so thick that it becomes a barrier to air and water. Around the gooseberry bushes, I've been particularly careful to keep the mulch away from the main stems to prevent any risk of collar rot.

Sweet Corn Success

The real star of the show this week has been the sweet corn. The combination of warm soil and all that rain has sent them shooting skyward. Plants that were struggling along at knee height just a few weeks ago are now towering over me, thick green stalks reaching for the sky and proper leaves unfurling daily.

You can almost see them growing after each shower. The rain's given them exactly what they needed – consistent moisture without waterlogging, and the warm soil's kept their roots active. Some of the varieties are already showing the first signs of tassels forming, which means we're on track for a proper harvest in a few weeks' time.

The sweet corn always reminds me why we put up with all the weeding and the unpredictable weather. There's nothing quite like sweet corn picked fresh from your own plot, cooked within minutes of harvesting. The varieties we're growing this year should give us a good succession of crops, with some early types ready soon and others following on to extend the harvest well into autumn.

It's been a demanding week, working between the showers and making the most of every dry spell. But seeing the allotment respond so quickly to a bit of attention – the clean beds, the tidy paths, the thriving crops – makes all the effort worthwhile. The family teamwork's made light work of jobs that might have felt overwhelming tackled alone, and we're well set up for whatever the weather throws at us next.