Hi All,

Well, my "first time given to me have a go with gardening" runner
beans are still going strong ;-)

As I haven't done any gardening since I was a kid I'm not really
set-up for said and was having some thoughts re what I might do next
season.

I was looking at water butt stuff (really for my Mum but for myself as
well) especially those rain saver downpipe attachments?

Q1. Are these devices good or is there a better way please?

Whilst looking at mums place re finding a good rainwater feed I
thought the down pipe in the semi communial alley (they have a shared
path down the middle but their own border strip about 60cm wide). She
is worried about (even partially) obstructing this side (pedestrian)
access so I suggested one (or two) of the slimline water butts may be
less obtrusive (there's nothing that goes down the alley that would be
bothered by the gap that we can think of)?

Q2. Do those slimmer water butts (100 l?) work ok please?

Because I don't get out every day (I forget etc) to give the roots of
my beans a quick water I bought a length of the perforated hose and
weaved it around the base of my beans / toms thos morning.

Q3. Would this be a reasonable way of watering beans / toms and if so
how long would be 'enough' please (Nth london soil).

We aren't on a water meter but are very light water users (split flush
loo, don't have a garden ourselves (the beans are in next doors
gardeng) rarely wash the cars, have showers not baths etc) and when
we looked into having a meter it wasn't likely to save us anything
(water nor money).

Q4. Is 'auto watering' 'ok' in these PC days? (It suggestes on the
packet that you might even save water compared with other ways).

The mate that gave me the beans has the Hozelock AC1+. It looked
pretty easy to use and seems 'reasonable' (29 quid ish).

Q5. Would this be a good buy (known brand name etc) please? Or should
I go for one of these 'kit's online where you get the AC1+ and a
fairly big 'addon' watering kit (for £49.99 inc Vat / p&p)?

Q6. When these beans are finished, what should I put in there (that we
could eat) next (for the end of the year etc) please? It is a semi
shaded N/S strip 5m long x 1m wide and been 'rough' for a good few
years.

I was also thinking of making some sort of pumped auto topped up
system (I'm an engineer ok ..) ;-)

The *idea* is some form of tank (butt?) with effectivly a mains water
feed / ballcock at the bottom (that fills the tank to say 1/3rd full)
and then a 'Rain saver' that could potentially top the butt off? If
you then pumped the water out (for a fixed time each day) to yer
plants using a submersible pond pump (or whatever) the water level
would drop till the mains water feed kicked it mainiaining the bottom
1/3d ish of a tank?

Crazy or what?

All the best and thanks for your time in any case .. ;-)

T i m

With any water butt it is a good plan to filter the intake - a nylon
stocking - tights etc. should do. Also keep light out - helps to prevent
algae'
I seldom water anything in the garden including runner beans and still
manage to get red cards at shows.
The secret is in the ground preparation which should start as soon as poss.
Incorporate lots of home made compost, manure, in fact almost anything
organic which will help with water retention. Feeding and cultvation though
is another story as is choice of varieties.
"T i m" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

Well, my "first time given to me have a go with gardening" runner
beans are still going strong ;-)

As I haven't done any gardening since I was a kid I'm not really
set-up for said and was having some thoughts re what I might do next
season.

I was looking at water butt stuff (really for my Mum but for myself as
well) especially those rain saver downpipe attachments?

Q1. Are these devices good or is there a better way please?

Whilst looking at mums place re finding a good rainwater feed I
thought the down pipe in the semi communial alley (they have a shared
path down the middle but their own border strip about 60cm wide). She
is worried about (even partially) obstructing this side (pedestrian)
access so I suggested one (or two) of the slimline water butts may be
less obtrusive (there's nothing that goes down the alley that would be
bothered by the gap that we can think of)?

Q2. Do those slimmer water butts (100 l?) work ok please?

Because I don't get out every day (I forget etc) to give the roots of
my beans a quick water I bought a length of the perforated hose and
weaved it around the base of my beans / toms thos morning.

Q3. Would this be a reasonable way of watering beans / toms and if so
how long would be 'enough' please (Nth london soil).

We aren't on a water meter but are very light water users (split flush
loo, don't have a garden ourselves (the beans are in next doors
gardeng) rarely wash the cars, have showers not baths etc) and when
we looked into having a meter it wasn't likely to save us anything
(water nor money).

Q4. Is 'auto watering' 'ok' in these PC days? (It suggestes on the
packet that you might even save water compared with other ways).

The mate that gave me the beans has the Hozelock AC1+. It looked
pretty easy to use and seems 'reasonable' (29 quid ish).

Q5. Would this be a good buy (known brand name etc) please? Or should
I go for one of these 'kit's online where you get the AC1+ and a
fairly big 'addon' watering kit (for £49.99 inc Vat / p&p)?

Q6. When these beans are finished, what should I put in there (that we
could eat) next (for the end of the year etc) please? It is a semi
shaded N/S strip 5m long x 1m wide and been 'rough' for a good few
years.

I was also thinking of making some sort of pumped auto topped up
system (I'm an engineer ok ..) ;-)

The *idea* is some form of tank (butt?) with effectivly a mains water
feed / ballcock at the bottom (that fills the tank to say 1/3rd full)
and then a 'Rain saver' that could potentially top the butt off? If
you then pumped the water out (for a fixed time each day) to yer
plants using a submersible pond pump (or whatever) the water level
would drop till the mains water feed kicked it mainiaining the bottom
1/3d ish of a tank?

Crazy or what?

All the best and thanks for your time in any case .. ;-)

T i m

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 20:18:58 GMT, "Padger"
wrote:

With any water butt it is a good plan to filter the intake - a nylon
stocking - tights etc. should do. Also keep light out - helps to prevent
algae'

Thanks for that .. a good tip ;-)

I seldom water anything in the garden including runner beans and still
manage to get red cards at shows.

That's not like 'Off' as in a football match is it? (I assume a red
card is a good thing in gardening shows?) I have been told that runner
beans 'need a good watering' by more than one person though?

The secret is in the ground preparation which should start as soon as poss.
Incorporate lots of home made compost, manure, in fact almost anything
organic which will help with water retention.

Ah, well this bit of ground got a quick turn over with a fork, most of
the bindweed pulled out of it and that was that ..?

Feeding and cultvation though
is another story as is choice of varieties.

I bet .. I'm only a beginner remember ... maybe next year?

All the best ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 20:18:58 GMT, "Padger"
wrote:

With any water butt it is a good plan to filter the intake - a nylon
stocking - tights etc. should do. Also keep light out - helps to prevent
algae'

Thanks for that .. a good tip ;-)




Q1. Are these devices good or is there a better way please?

Yes - these devices work well.

If your side passage restricts the size of butt -why not extent the diverter
output with additional hose, to a place where you can site a normal size
butt conveniently. These specially shaped narrow butts tend to be on the
pricey side as well.



"I was also thinking of making some sort of pumped auto topped up
system (I'm an engineer ok ..) ;-) "


I am currently in the process of sorting out an auto top up system using
Maplin style electonic float switches.
This will ensure that the container never empties but also maximises the
rainwater saved element.

Pete (retired engineer OK !)
www.thecanalshop.com

"Peter Stockdale" wrote in message
...

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 20:18:58 GMT, "Padger"
wrote:

With any water butt it is a good plan to filter the intake - a nylon
stocking - tights etc. should do. Also keep light out - helps to prevent


I have found that the cheapest effective water storage means is standard
black plastic Dustbins from Wickes

They are exceptionally heavy duty plastic , very cheap and have really good
fitting lids
You can easily make the nessecary hole for the diverter hose

Why pay £40 for a water butt when a £7 dustbin will do the job very well

nambucca wrote in message
...

"Peter Stockdale" wrote in message
...

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 20:18:58 GMT, "Padger"
wrote:

With any water butt it is a good plan to filter the intake - a nylon
stocking - tights etc. should do. Also keep light out - helps to
prevent


I have found that the cheapest effective water storage means is standard
black plastic Dustbins from Wickes

They are exceptionally heavy duty plastic , very cheap and have really
good
fitting lids
You can easily make the nessecary hole for the diverter hose

Why pay £40 for a water butt when a £7 dustbin will do the job very well



I can concur that the Wickes dustbin is a very good quality dustbin. I'd
never thought of using it as a water butt -what a good idea.

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 17:56:42 +0100, "Peter Stockdale"
wrote:


Q1. Are these devices good or is there a better way please?

Yes - these devices work well.

If your side passage restricts the size of butt -why not extent the diverter
output with additional hose, to a place where you can site a normal size
butt conveniently.

A good idea but in this case pretty impossible Pete (even with a 5m
extension hose!). In reality I don't see either design causing any
issues .. in the worst case the water could be dumped out and the
butts moved?

These specially shaped narrow butts tend to be on the
pricey side as well.

The one in B&Q (100L?) was £17.99 (I believe with tap and lid) and
that was cheaper than the more std shaped / sized one at £24.99 or
similar? How do those prices compare with what you have seen please?

I am currently in the process of sorting out an auto top up system using
Maplin style electonic float switches.

Where would you be drawing the water from Pete (and so how would you
control the flow)? I had though of using the same instead of a ball
valve because but as with anything 'electronic' it would need power
and protecting from the elements?

This will ensure that the container never empties but also maximises the
rainwater saved element.

Indeed, and my goal also .. I was sorta thinking a reply might be
'you need Model XYZ as that does all you require ..' (no point
re-inventing the wheel?).

So, with my idea, ballcock fills 100l butt to 25L. Rain Saver fills to
brim. Timed pond filter / pump draws water from butt to irrigation
system, and using a suitably placed moisture probe within the watering
area could inhibit the pump when the ground is already sufficiently
moist (rain, previous watering etc).?


Pete (retired engineer OK !)

I'm an electronics / datacomms / networks / microfiche by training but
end up doing most things (vehicle maintanence, carpentry, general
building, appliance repair) out of need ;-)

Noting as rewarding of sticking a bit of mild steel stock in the
Myford ML10 and making a new tool for the 10 tonne hydraulic press ;-)

www.thecanalshop.com

Nice life Pete .. and something (narrow boats / barges / butty boats)
that might return commercially if the fuel prices get much higher?

My 'ideal' EV would be a narrow boat .. plenty of room in the bilges
for the batteries (instead of ballast?) roof covered in solar panels
and a with a decent wind turbine / genny / hookup for topup?

Nice gentle load and ride for the batteries and a 5hp electric motor
would push 100 tonnes of load silently (rather than 400hp pushing 20
tonnes in a lorry) ;-)

One day maybe sigh ... ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Son of a 'Master Mariner' ;-)

"T i m" wrote in message
...


I am currently in the process of sorting out an auto top up system using
Maplin style electonic float switches.

Where would you be drawing the water from Pete (and so how would you
control the flow)? I had though of using the same instead of a ball
valve because but as with anything 'electronic' it would need power
and protecting from the elements?

This will ensure that the container never empties but also maximises the
rainwater saved element.

Indeed, and my goal also .. I was sorta thinking a reply might be
'you need Model XYZ as that does all you require ..' (no point
re-inventing the wheel?).

So, with my idea, ballcock fills 100l butt to 25L. Rain Saver fills to
brim. Timed pond filter / pump draws water from butt to irrigation
system, and using a suitably placed moisture probe within the watering
area could inhibit the pump when the ground is already sufficiently
moist (rain, previous watering etc).?


Pete (retired engineer OK !)

I'm an electronics / datacomms / networks / microfiche by training but
end up doing most things (vehicle maintanence, carpentry, general
building, appliance repair) out of need ;-)

Noting as rewarding of sticking a bit of mild steel stock in the
Myford ML10 and making a new tool for the 10 tonne hydraulic press ;-)

www.thecanalshop.com

Nice life Pete .. and something (narrow boats / barges / butty boats)
that might return commercially if the fuel prices get much higher?

My 'ideal' EV would be a narrow boat .. plenty of room in the bilges
for the batteries (instead of ballast?) roof covered in solar panels
and a with a decent wind turbine / genny / hookup for topup?

Nice gentle load and ride for the batteries and a 5hp electric motor
would push 100 tonnes of load silently (rather than 400hp pushing 20
tonnes in a lorry) ;-)

One day maybe sigh ... ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Son of a 'Master Mariner' ;-)




Where would you be drawing the water from Pete (and so how would you
control the flow)? I had though of using the same instead of a ball
valve because but as with anything 'electronic' it would need power
and protecting from the elements?

1) Mains - controlled by modded C/H valve.( rainwater does the two thirds
or one third as switched)

I am at the final fix stage currently.
The level can be set electronically at one third capacity, two thirds
capacity or full.
As you observe, all is carefully "element" protected as mains is about.
MMMMM part p mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Pete
www.thecanalshop.com

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 19:08:49 +0000 (UTC), "nambucca"
wrote:



Why pay £40 for a water butt when a £7 dustbin will do the job very well

Well, why indeed ;-)

I might consider spending 17.95 on a slimline butt as I have no room
for a dustbin sized one? ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 19:22:36 +0000 (UTC), "amaryllis"
wrote:


Why pay £40 for a water butt when a £7 dustbin will do the job very well



I can concur that the Wickes dustbin is a very good quality dustbin. I'd
never thought of using it as a water butt -what a good idea.

We use a couple (away from the downpipe) as recycling bins?

All the best ..

T i m