Went away on hols for a week to gloriously sunny and stunningly beautiful Wales (piccies to follow). Came back to bone dry Kent to be told by a neighbour that we've a hosepipe ban, but it's OK if we hold the hosepipe. Stupid question but anyone know how we are officially notified of hose pipe bans and what they actually ban us from doing?
We got a letter through the mail notifying us of a hosepipe ban, I continued using the hosepipe until we received the letter. Now, the hosepipe is still attached to the tap but I fill a watering can with it then water the plants, I'm not sure if this is allowed but as the official letter didn't give any guidance I will continue this way until I'm told otherwise. Generally I try to conserve as much water as possible, only watering the plants that are still wilted after the sun is no longer shining on them...sometimes they can look really wilted and once in the shade revive themselves. My tomatoes, peppers and aubs in the conservatory still get water every day with a can. At the allotment the only plants getting water are the pumpkins, celery, lettuce and sweet potatoes.
Thanks Jess. We've not received a letter or other notification at all but I've just looked at Mid Kent Water's website and sure enough I live in an "unattended hosepipe ban" area. I'm taking that to mean that I can still use the hose to water my garden as long as I'm holding it ie not using a sprinkler until I'm told officially otherwise. We only replanted the garden in April after a complete redesign and I really don't want to lose the plants. We've had no rain for weeks and like you I try to conserve as much as possible but so far I'm down a hellebore and a ceanothus and the hydrangea is looking pretty uncomfortable. On the positive side my hostas have never looked so good - too dry for the slugs.
Jill we started with the same thing, the media said a hose ban which meant no sprinklers, but it was only a few weeks before it was upgraded to a proper hosepipe ban, that's when we got the letter but there was no definition as to what is and is not allowed. The slugs seem less of a problem this year but there are still the odd survivors around, very annoyingly.