On Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:31:05 -0500, "John Price"
wrote:

Hi

Still plodding along working towards creating my first ever veg
patches. Got some spuds in the first strip now.

Got to wondering about water-butts. Close by to where I'm doing this is
a heavy duty plastic container (about 200-250 litres), left behind by
my predecessor. It sits beneath the downpipe from the guttering of my
garage. It has no top. Apart from water, I noticed last year that it
was also teeming with loads of what may be extra-terrestial life forms
wriggling around.

I could empty and clean it out and put it back in place, but should a
proper water-butt that I would use to water the veggies with, have a
lid. What are the issues? I could find something to cover the top with,
but would that need to be air/insect tight?

Bob Flowerdew once said that he keeps a goldfish in each of his water
tanks to take care of the "pondlife". You'd have to take care if you
were dipping a can in!!!

Pam in Bristol