Such a challenging topic here in subtropical Australia,

We have had such a challenging time. The seasons are all going haywire. ( no comments there).

But we hardly ever have seasons with nice gentle regular rainfall. Our rain comes in HUGE massive dumps that destroy all in its path , normally in summer, and winters are normally bone dry and we run out of water in WINTER in the garden not summer. In summer we have too much rain. But one day without and the garden is drooping.

Our food garden is in pots on concrete. Because that is what we have... We don't have a nice ambling garden. We are lucky however that we can collect rainwater ( a lot of it in the most massive of water tanks.) but unhappily we are not easily allowed the luxury of a beautiful permaculture garden.

I am so envious of those that can. Then best i can manage is to grow little flowers inbetween my vegetables, to help cover the soil from the sun, and provide a living mulch in the beds.

As you say above, organic matter in the soil really helps a lot where we can,.

The problem of water everywhere is so challenging... sigh...

thanks for the post