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Think About Water

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With many parts of the country in drought, two dry winters here in East Anglia, it is time to think about how you can water your plants, vegetables, shrubs and lawns in the summer months. I have for the past year or so found a very simple and effective method, and it is not rocket science. I have stopped rain water from the roof of my cottage going into the ground by diverting it into a large water butt. I have also run push fit 1 inch plumbers pipe down to my pond, so I can either store water in the butt, or simply open the tap and send water into my pond to top it up when needed. Over the past week or so I have added more water butts and linked them to the original so when the original one is full, a simple down pipe into the next butt takes the overflow. Sheds, greenhouses, outbuildings – make use of what falls onto the roofs. A word of warning I know some people who in the past have syphoned off their bath water and used it to water vegetables, the result was awful, a soapy taste, so not advised. However if you are desperate bath water is ok on most flowers and lawns. One final tip the gardeners best friend in dry weather is the good old hoe, use it to keep the soil open rather than baked, this does help.

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Good advice.
I've added this blog to GoYpedia Water butts :o)

20 Mar, 2012

 

Thats exactly what I`m doing here Ob, I have butts all over the place and overflow ones, I`m using my old dustbins near my greenhouses and transfer water to them each time my butts are in danger of overflowing, pleased to say we have had more rain so they did get a topup again this weekend.
To be honest my fishpond is what I was more concerned about because as you know it will need a topup a couple of times during the summer, I know my flowers won`t mind sharing my old bathwater...
Thankyou Ob...

20 Mar, 2012

 

You've done well. I hope the drought doesn't get worse, but you seem to be well prepared.
We get plenty of rain here.

21 Mar, 2012

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