[Marketa]

Hi,

I just got my first allotment and there is a small burn running pass. I was wondering how good or bad is generally the quality of a burn water for watering the vegetables? It is in a city (Aberdeen) so not sure what comes into it but I don't have a shed to put a water butt there and this would be quite convenient for watering.

Thank you

[mumofstig]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with the new plot 

I should think best advice would be to ask the other plot holders if they use it. I reckon it would be fine, but don't know the local conditions.

[Marketa]

Hi, thank you. I am going to "investigate", have not met many people yet but I can imagine they will be appearing there pretty soon!

[Growster...]

I reckon that if you have running water near your plot, then you have a Gold Star for ingenuity, and a badge for knowing how to get your plot going!

I'd use it straight away, and bless the Allotment Goddess for setting you in such a great position!

Lucky you!

[Marketa]

Haha, thank you! It certainly makes my life easier to use the burn, it is lucky having it so close.

[wighty]

I would advise caution though.  When I lived on the 'Big Island' (i.e. the mainland) we had a brook at the bottom of our garden which was a run off from the Hogs Back and usually flowed at about 4 inches deep but during rain would rise to about 4 foot.  During a hosepipe ban our neighbour took water from the brook for his veg plot.  Within weeks his plot was choked with weeds and grass, especially a hollow stemmed reed which grew in abundance on the banks further upstream.

[Marketa]

That is a good point, I will try to speak to people there and see if there had been any issues like that. Thank you

[jezza]

Hello check to see who maintains the banks e.g. cutting grass and sludging it out, if it's a drainage board you might need an abstraction licence if it's your responsibility to keep the banks cut it might still be best to make discreet enquiries also be careful what's in the water my mate drew water out of a ditch he lost 25,000 bedding plants there's been a slurry leak up stream   jezza

[grinling]

You can use a percentage of it, but will need to check with authorities for how much, after that a charge. That is what applies in England.