The Alabaster "Dome" is firmly in place

I'm a firm believer in compost tea, a natural, foliar fertilizer which I apply to my gardens regularly through the summer months.  But, for compost tea to work the microscopic stomata (think pores) on the leaves must be open.   That means that compost tea absorbs best during the cooler morning hours and when plants have  been well watered.

It was time for my gardens to receive another dose of tea so this past week, I began brewing a large batch of it.  Brewing compost tea takes about three days so I timed the brew to be ready to apply right after the forecast that included an 80% chance of rain.

It has not rained in my garden for more than three weeks.  I've been watering some and have soaker hoses in some of my beds but it is not possible for me to water everything so there are many plants that are looking a little droopy right now.  The stomata on the leave's surfaces are tightly closed to preserve whatever moisture they contain.

I was ready, the tea was brewed.  The skies repeatedly clouded up, the wind began to blow and I thought, "the rain will soon be here."  I would check the regional radar and I could see rain storms popping up all around the area, but not over my backyard.  I am convinced that there is an invisible dome firmly established right over the city of Alabaster preventing any rain from falling here. 

With the opportunity for rain over,  I could no longer use my compost tea--the microbes only live for a short period of time.   I poured it onto the compost heap with a sigh. 

There is a new forecast for rain this weekend.  Maybe the dome will leak over my backyard.