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I've been looking at a friends garden today - they want me to take over their veg patch (and also their great collection of fruit trees) but there's a problem here with water. There is a tap immediately next to the plot but watering here is very difficult in the summer and all usage is monitored.

There is also a well right next to the patch but running power to an electric pump would be difficult.

Does anybody have experience of buying/using a solar pwered pump and if so, what's the draw/volumes on it?

TIA

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TonyF, Dordogne 24220

If the fruit trees are doing well, I presume they are mature and so don't need any extra water, that leaves the veg patch. Don't know how much rainfall you get out there, but are you collecting as much as you can from the roof in water butts or tanks? No experience of solar powered pumps, but I do know that even in East Africa solar water heating is not as good as it's supposed to be. Even out there most people go for diesel powered generators for electricity. Hopefully technology has improved since I was out there in 1999, but I would suggest thorough research before you commit yourself.

Hi TonyF, I am afraid that I don't know anything about solar pumps.

Is the well too far from an electrical supply to use an extension cable?

I know that you are further south than me but we get pretty hot as well. Last year I managed not to use a hose, and I have a large pottager. I used all the water saving techniques I could and managed to keep it going with 3 x 200 ltr water butts. I work on the principal that the seedlings need to be kept moist but once the plants are established mulching works well. I didn't even water my tomatoes very much and still got a good crop, that is until they got blight

This year I have got the standard bottomless mineral water bottles, soak irrigation pots, a drip system for the tomatoes and peppers and lots of cardboard which will be soaked and used under grass clipping mulch.

Best of luck

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Gardening requires a lot of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. Lou Erickson, critic and poet

Thanks folks

The garden is in a gite complex and having an electrically operated pump isn't too likely as plugging it in would be the main problem, far too far away from the nearest building to be feasible - thought of all those options. And the veg/fruit garden is too far from the nearest house to make it feasible to have water butts.

We can use the tap and as water here is cheaper it's not too bad a proposition, just trying to find cheaper ways of doing it that's all.

I've already got the water bottles organised so all the in ground stuff I can do will be organised in advance, it's just the water supply that's the problem.

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TonyF, Dordogne 24220

No help to you at the moment Tony, but am looking into this in a big way over the next few months!!

We have 2 large white containers - in France-(which I think Rat has mentioned about in the past) . Ours used to contain salt-but once flushed out , should hold enough fresh water for maybe half a lottie?? ( learning curve here!!!! )
MAy be best to check on 'Search ' first????

Actually Piglet uses huge IBU water containers on his plots. I will post you a link later Tony if Piglet doesn't reply first.

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That's the one LJ!!! ( I got 2 ...but no idea what to do with them as yet!!!)

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ead.php?t=4288


That is the link to one thread about Piglets water saving.

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Thanks LJ!

Thanks indeed LJ and Piglet, I could get a couple of those and put them behind screens with climbing plants over them to disguise them.

Excellent idea, fill from the well only, could be done on Saturday (aka change over day) when there is less occupancy.

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TonyF, Dordogne 24220

Would be interested if knowing if you do find out about a solar powered pump Tony!

Water being one of the heaviest things going, on a par with lead and uranium, I'd be surprised to find any reasonably costed solar panel that could power a water pump of the sort you probably want, Tony. Depending on the siting, depth and diameter of the well, I think what you want is a shaduf, or maybe an Archimedean Screw - neither of which is entirely sweat free, but the latter is definitely less fun than the former !

Tony-
Have found quite a few suppliers of solar powered well pumps, by just googling it!
Most seem to be American or Aussie...here are a few..

Solar pump suppliers:-

Dankoff Solar Pumps
www.dankoffsolar.com

Backwoods Solar
www.backwoodssolar.com

Real Goods
www.realgoods.com

It's certainly possible to aquire one, but I've not had the chance to look into the cost.

I tried to Google but didn't really get anywhere.

The couple concerned have now decided against it as being too impractical and if they've got to have the thing running, probablt better for a submerged pump and we'll rig the power supply.

Thanks for all your interest folks, much appreciated.

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TonyF, Dordogne 24220

I looked at this problem a while ago and whilst there are pumps on the market that will pump water with a solar panel, the head ( height to which you can pump ) is not too impressive.

I assume that your well is quite a way down and so you may struggle. But, if you do use an IBC container, it may be possible to run a capiliary pipe of small diameter which will constantly trickle into the butt. Link a couple and have the final overflow returning to the well. The cost can be a bit though. Don't expect any change from about £150 to get the basic set.

I hope that this helps a little.
Darren