Making the Most of a Wet British Summer

Rainy Days Are Planning Days

When the rain settles in for a week, it is tempting to retreat to the kitchen with a mug of tea. But a wet British summer is a gift for the smallholder who plans ahead. Use the time to review your crop rotation and jot down what has thrived and what has sulked. A simple notebook, kept in the shed or on the kitchen windowsill, quickly becomes your most valuable tool.

• Map out next year's beds, keeping brassicas, roots, potatoes and legumes moving in a sensible order.
• Order seed for winter salads, green manures and spring cabbages before the best varieties sell out.
• Sketch improvements to drainage, paths and gates — the jobs that are miserable in the rain but obvious when the ground is sodden.
• Plan a polytunnel or cold frame layout so that every square foot earns its keep.

If you keep livestock, use a rainy afternoon to update your grazing plan. Rotating paddocks and resting wet ground now will save you from poached fields and muddy gateways later in the year. A few hours with a notebook can save weeks of frustration.

Keep Tools Sharp and Sheds Tidy

Wet weather is hard on tools. Spades, forks and hoes left dirty will rust, and wooden handles can crack if they dry out too quickly. Bring everything under cover, give it a scrub with a wire brush, and dry it thoroughly with an old towel. Then sharpen, oil and hang it up properly.

• Sharpen secateurs, loppers and shears with a fine diamond file or whetstone.
• Wipe metal heads with an oiled rag — camellia oil or a little engine oil works well.
• Sand rough wooden handles and treat them with boiled linseed oil.
• Check greenhouse glass, netting and fruit cages for storm damage.
• Clean and oil the mower, strimmer and rotavator before they are needed again.

A tidy shed pays you back on the first dry day, when you can grab a sharp hoe and deal with weeds in minutes rather than hunting for a file. Ten minutes of maintenance now saves an hour of cursing later.

Sow and Propagate Under Cover

Summer sowing is not just for spring. Under cover, you can raise a whole second wave of crops for autumn and winter. Fill module trays with peat-free compost, sow thinly, and keep them somewhere bright but not baking hot. A windowsill, porch or polytunnel bench is ideal.

• Winter salads: 'Winter Density' lettuce, lamb's lettuce, land cress and rocket.
• Kale, chard and purple sprouting broccoli for a hungry gap harvest.
• Spring cabbages and overwintering onions from seed.
• Herbs such as parsley, coriander and chervil for the kitchen windowsill.
• Softwood cuttings of rosemary, sage and lavender — they root well in humid conditions.

Watch out for damping off in muggy weather. Ventilate on dry days, water from below, and remove any fallen leaves. If you have a greenhouse, a small fan will keep the air moving and prevent mould. Clean, fresh air is the best disease prevention there is.

Seize the Dry Spells for Harvest

When the clouds break, head straight for the veg patch. Wet summers can bring slug damage, blight and split fruit, so pick crops as soon as they are ready. Runner beans, French beans, courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes and soft fruit all need regular attention. A basket and a pair of secateurs by the door make it easy to dash out between showers.

• Harvest potatoes before blight strikes — cut haulms if the weather turns warm and humid.
• Pick courgettes small and often; marrows are fine, but they slow the plant down.
• Gather raspberries, blackcurrants and blueberries early in the day, when they are cool.
• Lift onions and garlic and dry them under cover, not in the rain.
• Freeze, bottle or chutney any gluts the same day — wet produce spoils fast.

Check stored crops weekly for mould and remove any bad apples or onions before they spread rot. A dry spell is a harvest window, not a holiday.

Keep Paths Clear and Slugs at Bay

Slugs and snails love a wet summer. They hide in long grass, under stones and in dense foliage, then emerge at night to shred seedlings and salads. The answer is not a chemical drench but steady, practical management.

• Keep paths mown, edged and free of debris — strim edges and rake up clippings.
• Lay woodchip or gravel on main routes; it drains well and is less inviting to slugs.
• Set beer traps or night patrols with a torch after rain.
• Encourage ground beetles, frogs, toads and hedgehogs with log piles and wild corners.
• Use copper tape around raised beds and wool pellets around tender plants.
• Water nematodes on damp evenings when soil is warm — they work best in wet conditions.

If you keep poultry, let them range on the veg patch after harvest; they will clear slugs and eggs with enthusiasm. Clear paths also mean fewer hiding places, so you can spot trouble early.

Mud, Livestock and the Longer View

A wet summer tests any smallholding. Mud around gateways and feeders can cause foot problems in sheep, goats and cattle, and poultry can quickly turn runs into a quagmire. Move feeders and drinkers regularly, put down bark chip or straw on worn patches, and give animals a dry, well-ventilated shelter. Check hooves and feet weekly, and treat any signs of foot rot or mud fever promptly.

Finally, use this wet season to build resilience for the next. Install extra guttering and rain butts, dig drainage channels where water sits, and raise beds or paths that flood. Plant a hedgerow or windbreak to dry out exposed ground. A smallholding that handles rain well is one that prospers in any summer.