Rain, rain

Fairly typical Sunday. Dinner with my sister-in-law and her household. Grocery shopping. Home in time to see some aunts and an uncle who were visiting with my parents. Walked the dog in a real Washington rain -- small drops, no downpour -- like a cross between light rain and heavy mist. It gets the job done.

Last night, my dad was saying he thought that rain seemed to be better for the plants than watering. I said that as for my flowers, rain washes the leaves in addition to providing water for the roots. The same would be true for trees and shrubs in the yard. The main thing needed for rain with container plants, though, is that there should be enough of it to really saturate the soil in the pot. The potted plants can't seek water with their roots, like plants in the ground can. And I think soil in pots dries out faster than the ground. So they need lots of water.

Today's rain was good. Steady, mild, and prolonged.