Topic: Hosepipe Ban

[grawrc]

I hear that Scottish Water is worse than Thames for leaks etc. But then Scotland is very wet so it probably doesn't matter. it worries me that this ban is being imposed now. Normally it's July, August or September.

Global warming? Climate change?

[moonbells]

How many butt's can you keep full off the average shed roof? I hav'nt got a shed - but i've got about a shed's roof worth of corrigated iron - is it worth bothering to rig somthing up?

I've currently got two off mine, with a third if I ever manage to find a cheap one or take one off the house (the back has one off the conservatory that is fed by a horizontal hose which blocks, so I've been meaning to shift it for ages).

It'll upset catface though, who currently uses the butt to bounce onto the conservatory roof!

moonbells

[djbrenton]

As an example, my 24 foot long greenhouse catches water on one side only and the water butts never need filling, despite being used for 30 10lt tomato tubs and around 30 5lt pepper tubs. My other greenhouse which is half the size ( again only catching on one side ) regularly overflows 4 butts and I never need the hose. I only ever use the hose to refill the butt that waters my bean row but I could manage without it.
I suspect 90% of water from a hose doesn't directly help the veg but just encourages weeds so I rarely water anything anyway.

[Rhys]

I'd like to conserve water in the soil to avoid evaporation and therefore less watering is needed. 

I will have abundant supplies of grass cuttings and last year mulched my runner beans with grass cuttings with great success.

I'd like to mulch as many veg and fruit bushes as possible with grass cuttings this year.  Are there any veg or fruit which do not like grass cuttings or can I mulch everything with it?

Do you think the cuttings should be changed every few weeks also?

[Rose.mary]

You could always use the 'siphon' method. Just run a hose pipe from butt to butt, and as long as you don't get an air lock it should be OK.
I don't fancy starting it off though I would be frightened I would get a mouthful of dirty water. :o

Rosemary