Holiday watering systems
 

Hi all

I'm looking for a little advice from you knowledgeable types......

I acquired an allotment 1 week ago. I love it but it's in terrible state.

I have a number of pumpkins, courgettes and cucumber which are absolutely BURSTING to be planted out.

I have managed to clear some space in which I could plant the aforementioned but herein lies the problem..

a) There is no water on the site
b) I don't know anybody on other plots yet
c) It's 2 miles (up hill) to the site
d) I'm due to go away for 10days next week

Sooo - if I was to plant things out, is there any way I can water them from a water butt for the duration of my holiday?

I don't feel it's fair to ask my neighbours to lug the water up there and then water things, and I don't know the other allotmenteers to ask for a favour.

But I think the plants will suffer if they're kept in pots for very much longer.

Anybody got any good ideas? All gratefully received!

Cheers

M

What about a seep hose connected to a large water butt/tank?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1132534 check out the link,scroll down.
--
Thanks Keith,Nottingham,England,UK.
"Stargirl" wrote in message
...

Hi all

I'm looking for a little advice from you knowledgeable types......

I acquired an allotment 1 week ago. I love it but it's in terrible
state.

I have a number of pumpkins, courgettes and cucumber which are
absolutely BURSTING to be planted out.

I have managed to clear some space in which I could plant the
aforementioned but herein lies the problem..

a) There is no water on the site
b) I don't know anybody on other plots yet
c) It's 2 miles (up hill) to the site
d) I'm due to go away for 10days next week

Sooo - if I was to plant things out, is there any way I can water them
from a water butt for the duration of my holiday?

I don't feel it's fair to ask my neighbours to lug the water up there
and then water things, and I don't know the other allotmenteers to ask
for a favour.

But I think the plants will suffer if they're kept in pots for very
much longer.

Anybody got any good ideas? All gratefully received!

Cheers

M


--
Stargirl

keith ;-) wrote:

What about a seep hose connected to a large water butt/tank?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1132534 check out the link,scroll down.

The other easy alternative is to just plant them out and water them in
very well with a trench round each plant and then add a layer of peat
mulch on top to discourage evaporation. The plants are much better off
in the soil than in pots if it gets hot.

Given a few weeks to prepare and some cash you can buy a nominally solar
powered fountain pump from eg Bull Electrical and fiddle about with it
to supply water to a hoselock irrigation system. I run mine off a 12V
lead acid accumulator for about 15 minutes a day on a cheap timer.

It is worth setting up an irrigation system to run for a couple of weeks
before you go away to find out if anything drops off or floods...

Regards,
Martin Brown