MarkOlliethe 2nd said: "
Also any tips/pointers or gadgets that could help in locking in moisture (rain water) would also be much appreciated..."
Mixing vermiculite in with the compost I use in my veg beds seems to have worked quite well. It's a bit pricey, but worth it IMO, for not having to replace dried out plants all the time. Proportions I was recommended to use were about 1/3 of the total volumne of growing material - I have ended up with about half that, and it still seems to work.
