Philadelphia's Capricious Weather

I once read in a travel guide that Philadelphia has capricious weather. I am not sure if that is true all year long. This last week the weather has been a coaster ride. We received snow November 27 and one week later the temperature was 65ºF / 18ºC. I had the snow brush in the car and I was wearing short pants. That hasn't happened since last spring, when I was too lazy to put the snow brush away in the garage.

If it doesn't chill down soon the spring flowering trees will begin to bud.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

What to Wear at London Olympics?

Weather Underground:London

As you can see from the graphic above, the temperature rose above 70ºF only eleven days in July of this year. There was precipitation every day. What do you wear in London in the summer?

If you are Australian, fluorescent clown wigs and flip flops

If Doc Brown just dropped you off, you wear your pajamas

Kathleen, Bobby and Dennis

If you are a Bobby, a hi-viz vest.

As you do if you work in the Underground

If it rains at the Olympic, a plastic Union Jack

If you're a chilled American, use your nation's flag

If you're a proud American, the Stars and Stripes

When you're at a football match of Brazil vs GB women in a covered stadium, you wear what is proper

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Rain And Watering Your Square Foot Garden

One of the important needs of any plant is water. Knowing the amount of water needed is essential. Rain provides some, if not all, water to an outdoor garden. A mix of rain and irrigation will most likely be needed.


It is recommended that each square, in a square foot garden, get 1 gallon/3.785L of water per week. Assuming you get some rain, you need to know the amount of rainfall in volume measured in gallons/liters. Subtract the rainfall from the gallon/3.785L and you have your answer. 



Use a rain gauge or check the weather report for your area to determine the amount of rainfall received. I use Weather Underground. There is actually a weather station within the .5miles/.8K of my house. I assume the rain amount reported at that station is the amount of rain my square foot garden received.

If the rainfall reported is 1.6" for the week, the square foot garden does not need supplemental watering. If not, it will need irrigation.

Let's start with the fact that 1 gallon = 231.00 cu.in. Each square foot needs one gallon of water/week.

1. One square foot area = 144 sq. in./ 929 sq.cm
2. 231 cu.in. / 144 sq. in.(1490 cu.cm / 929 sq.cm)= 1.6 in(4cm)
3. Each square needs 1.6 in(4cm) of rainfall/week.

It is always better to deliver the water to the soil and not by spraying from the top. Watering cans, soaker hoses and drip irrigation are the best methods. Watering cans will eat a good bit of time out of your day. Fill the cans, transport the can to the garden, deliver the water and repeat. Soaker hoses and drip irrigation only need to be turned on, timed and shut off. You will, however, need to calibrate soaker hoses to get the volume of water delivered within a certain period of time. The last and most reliable is a drip irrigation system. 

Drip irrigation uses calibrated emitters. Emitters come in varying sizes, 1/2G/hr, 1G/hr. 2G/hr or 6G/hr.  Just do the math. Turning on the irrigation system for one hour using 1G/hr emitters will supply the proper amount of water needed for one week. Compensate for any rainfall for the week and you will have happy productive plants.


©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved