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  • #1

    Water, H2O, Aqua, etc...

    I really don't know how you guys that have no running water easily to hand do it. The amount of water I'm having to use daily is massive at the moment. Without having a tap in the polytunnel it would have been a nightmare. As it is I use a full barrel of water on the tomatoes every evening (that's been allowed to warm up during the day) then have the sprinkler hose on for another 10 minutes on other plants. Then another 5 minutes to refill the barrel.

    So my hats off to those that cope with rain water capture only ....
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  • #2
    Agree - very difficult. I have running water both at home and in my friend's garden, but the local allotments (for which I am currently on the waiting list) do not. Although according to the met office we had a slightly wetter than average May, we actually had only about 3 days when any decent amount of rain fell since Christmas here. Not so bad in spring when the days are cool and the plants that are there have fewer leaves, but with large tomato, potato, pea and bean plants etc the hot weather certainly takes its toll. My garden is mostly at least 50% shaded but I am using well upwards of 40 litres of water every day, sometimes a lot more.

    Some people in hte south of the UK might have the opposite problem later today and tomorrow if the forecasts are correct
    Last edited by Penellype; 12-06-2015, 12:01 PM.
    A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

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    • #3
      No sign of rain here, yet.
      Feed the soil, not the plants.
      (helps if you have cluckies)

      Man v Squirrels, pigeons & Ants
      Bob

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      • #4
        The first few months we were in BG 2 years ago, i had to buy water (was not brave enough to even go near the well 2 years ago....), from lidl water was about 75p for 11litres, they look at you strangely buying 20 at a time, then we found a village water tap....so it was then free but still had to get the water half a mile down the road

        Last year, all water for the garden was by bucket from the well, I have now got a pump!

        We couldnt do it with what is growing now, we use at least 200 litres every morning and sometimes again in the middle of the day or evening we do it again ,most days it rains a bit in the evening, but its 35C to 45C most days, I can go a day without watering small plants but they grow better watered every day, the trees dont need watering as the roots are down in the underground water that feeds the well, well water varies at between 5 and 7 meters down from the surface

        We have no mains water but we do have a well...., and a pump running off a generator ( no mains electric either ), no long hose on the pump , so we fill up 20 of the 11 liter mineral water bottles and walk around watering everything

        I plan to have mini ditches to fill with water around the garden, havent dug them yet, soaker hoses are no good as they burst with the heat of the sun

        The rainwater if it rains goes in barrels and is diverted to auto water some plants but it doesnt go far
        Last edited by starloc; 12-06-2015, 12:44 PM.
        Living off grid and growing my own food in Bulgaria.....

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        • #5
          https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=706


          Improving the organic matter quantities in your soil will reduce the need for watering. As will mulching.

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          • #6
            I water the GH but nothing outside gets watered after the initial watering at planting time. My GH is covered with newspapers to stop the top drying out and the whole of my veg growing area is mulched with card, newspapers and grass clippings.
            I'm on a meter so the use of the hose pipe is minimal.

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            • #7
              I only water things which are in pots, under cover or as they are planted out. No need under normal circumstances to do any more in the UK and actually you could be doing harm by encouraging shallow roots rather than the plant searching deeper for moisture.

              Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

              Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by starloc View Post
                Last year, all water for the garden was by bucket from the well, I have now got a pump!
                Hi Starloc

                I've posted a request in grapes recommendations but in case you don't see the post what sort of pump do you use?

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                • #9
                  I must admit I do hate watering

                  This year Ive converted about 50% of my pots to self watering wicking containers which draw up water from beneath, these only need topping up once a week or so.

                  Next year I want to try and install some irrigation for the rest

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                  • #10
                    Grow em ard! If you have enough organic matter in the soil a single watering at planting time should be enough
                    Different in greenhouses and polytunnels but by using raised beds in the greenhouse and planting in the ground in the polytunnel it should give a little bit of leeway with the watering and missing the odd day or weekends watering shouldn't cause problems.
                    My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
                    to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

                    Diversify & prosper


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                    • #11
                      actually you could be doing harm by encouraging shallow roots rather than the plant searching deeper for moisture.

                      Thats an awesome point Alison, well worth thinking about.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Alison View Post
                        I only water things which are in pots, under cover or as they are planted out. No need under normal circumstances to do any more in the UK and actually you could be doing harm by encouraging shallow roots rather than the plant searching deeper for moisture.
                        It depends a bit on the soil. I have tried not watering things in my veg garden, but as it is constructed on the remains of a patio, it is about 50% sand and drains like a sieve. I've taken to filling milk bottles with a couple of small holes in the bottom and puttign the caps back on, so that the water drips out slowly. The alternative is seriously wilted plants.
                        A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

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                        • #13
                          Space everything further apart, less root competition means plants need less water as they have more soil to draw from.
                          If you have 3 hours to spare, listen to Steve Solomon's book "Gardening Without Irrigation, Or Without Much, Anyway" here

                          or you can read it online or download free.
                          Location - Leicestershire - Chisit-land
                          Endless wonder.

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                          • #14
                            I'm really lucky to have a stream at the bottom of the garden and yesterday rigged up a petrol pump to pump some water up into a water butt. Really chuffed!

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by mothhawk View Post
                              Space everything further apart, less root competition means plants need less water as they have more soil to draw from.
                              If you have 3 hours to spare, listen to Steve Solomon's book "Gardening Without Irrigation, Or Without Much, Anyway" here

                              or you can read it online or download free.
                              I haven't the space to put everything further apart, I prefer to water.
                              A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

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