[marcofez]

With the reporting of a possibility of a hose pipe ban and probable stand pipes in my anglian water area, I was wondering what tips everyone had that keep their plants hydrated and stop loss of moisture? Thanks

[mumofstig]

add manure/compost to the soil as much as you can and if possible mulch around plants after rain or a good watering to conserve moisture.

[Kleftiwallah]

Plastic drinks bottles, the bigger the better, drill small holes in the top and cut a large hole in the base.   Invert them and place in the ground beside each plant and fill with water each day.   The water will get to the roots where it's needed and not lay on the surface and just evaporate away.       Cheers,     Tony. 

[evie2]

Now that is clever

[Ivor Backache]

My understanding of hose pipe ban is that you cannot water the garden with it, but you can use a hosepipe to convey water to a water butt. I now have a water butt at each end of the allotment which I keep topped up. I water my plants with a watering can-it's not so wasteful. Occasionally I add nutrients to the water butt and feed at the same time.

They don't have to be big=I use obsolete refuse bins with lids.

[Trillium]

Another way to get lots of water is to save all the start up water from in the house, like when you run the tap to get hot water - be sure you're catching the cool stuff and then dump it into a holding bin. Washing your hair or starting the shower? Once again, have a bucket to catch all the cool water and add to your growing bin water collection. Same with refreshing pet water dishes - you can add the old water (plants aren't fussy) and collect the running warmish water until you hit cool, then add that to your bucket.

Once you start saving this way, you'll be amazed at how much water you actually waste ...and pay for.

[mumofstig]

My understanding of hose pipe ban is that you cannot water the garden with it, but you can use a hosepipe to convey water to a water butt.

This is not always the case  different water companies set their own rules and some of them ban hosepipe use altogether.
So be careful, and find out what applies in your own area, each time a ban is imposed

[Kleftiwallah]

An excelent idea Trillium, I was almost halfway to the shed to design and build a valve to turn and direct the 'pre-heat' water for washing up into a bucket.    Just in time I looked under the sink.  .  .  . How many squeezy sprays can one woman use? ? ?     Cheers,    Tony.

[solway cropper]

With the reporting of a possibility of a hose pipe ban and probable stand pipes in my anglian water area, I was wondering what tips everyone had that keep their plants hydrated and stop loss of moisture? Thanks

Move to Cumbria 

[Ice]

Mulching is one thing but I have three 210 litre water butts which fill from my gutter downpipe.  I cut into it and added a diverter and connected the butts together.  During a long hot summer this is not enough and am going to add at least three more and capture water from my new greenhouse roof too.

Having a water meter really focuses the mind.

[Nobbie]

Hosepipe bans often don't apply to allotments. I looked into it when we had one up here last year.

[BabbyAnn]

Hosepipe bans often don't apply to allotments. I looked into it when we had one up here last year.

As I understand it, hosepipe bans can affect allotments - perhaps location has a lot to do with whether it applies to your location or not.  Also, see

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=60508.15;topicseen

[ex-cavator]

Hosepipe bans often don't apply to allotments. I looked into it when we had one up here last year.

I think you're missing the point. If there's a hosepipe ban it's because we're in drought conditions and it's just plain irresponsible to be using water unnecessarily. You should not be using potable water to water your garden or allotment when there's simply not enough to go round, otherwise you risk even tighter restrictions being imposed on all of us, like having no water on tap, and being forced to use bowsers or standpipes in the steet.

By all means use as much rainwater as you can collect, or 'grey water' such as used bathwater from the house, but please act responsibly and ensure we all get through the drought period without having to suffer further restrictions.

As for collecting the 'start up' water as Trillium suggests, again, this would be better saved for filling the kettle or pans for cooking and thereby reducing overall usage. But by all means add it to the 'grey water' tub for watering the plants once you've boiled the spuds in it 

[GrowinGrowinGone]

Some good ideas mentioned, I like the water bottle idea which I might do myself this year.  The hosepipe ban won't effect me because we don't even have water on our site.  It's an absolute joke.  When I took the plot on, the council person said yes we are having it installed at the end of the summer.  Great I thought, no water issue.  Getting to know other plot holders, they laughed and said yeah we hear that every year.  1 guy had been there 14years and said they told him the same when he took his on.  But I had faith that surely the council wouldn't just blatantly lie to me surely? Summer came and went, no water.  I got on to the council who said oh no we are doing it in the spring now.  Spring came and went, same with summer, and the same story the following year lol.  I don't drive so getting water to the site was impossible for me.  I now have 3 sheds, with guttering, and water butts and currently about 1500 litres of water.  It may not sound a lot, but it's 1500 litres more than I had last year and the year before lol.   Surely everyone has a shed, or plans to have a shed at some point?  Guttering is cheap enough, that's 1 extra thing you can do.

[Nikkithefoot]

We aren't allowed any sheds or greenhouses on our allotments. We have 2 standpipes for 35 plots. The only things I water are seedlings and newly transplanted plants. Once they have settled in they are on their own.

I rely on feeding the soil and incorporating plenty of humus to keep the soil structure good and moist.