Watering after rain
After rain, the question is whether the rain actually reached your plants. A light shower can leave the soil surface wet while the root zone stays dry.
Check the soil, not the sky
Scrape a few centimetres into the soil. If it is still dry below the surface, the rain did not do the watering job. This is common after short showers in hot weather, or on slopes and under dense foliage.
Pots, hanging baskets and new plants dry out fastest and usually still need a check after rain.
- check the top few centimetres of soil after rain
- light showers often miss the root zone
- pots and new planting usually need a hand even after rain
Check the official restriction for your area. A Temporary Use Ban can change what you are allowed to do with a hosepipe, whatever this guidance says. Check your postcode.