Allotments 4 All

Hello, does anyone know if it's a bad idea to collect water from a felt covered roof (via guttering into a water butt) and then use it on vegetables ...  will my lettuce taste of tar? .... will I get cancer next Tuesday?

Thanks very much for any input.

hiya, brockleyveg..welcome to the site, sorry, I can't answer your question, no doubt someone will be along soon who can  ;D

I think it's fine, I think a lot of people do it.

done it for years no nasty taste from water passed on if its an old roof rain will have washed any impurity's away but if its a new felted roof i would maybe give it a few months of weathering first.

Hiya

i have been collecting rainwater off a flat roof for 4 years and use it in my greenhouse.  No taste and no cancer - yet!!  Maybe Wednesday tho - who can tell!!

Old Bird

Hi Brockleyveg, Welcome to the forum,  :)

It will be fine. I think its a demonstration of allotmenteers responsible attitude to the environment to harvest and use rainwater whenever possible. (Although I also use hoses)

I have four water butts and I have more planned and in progress. Difficulties may arise if you water seedlings with green water from your storage though so keep a lid on the barrel and keep it clean. I wouldn`t drink it though.

(I had a bramble stem find its way along my shed guttering and down the pipe
into a water butt where it grew a tight cylinder of roots in the pipe and a huge spreading mass inside the barrel. It was amazing when I pulled it all out)

Col

I wouldn't drink it, unless I had boiled it first...
;D

Quote from: brockleyveg on April 11, 2008, 15:35:03
Hello, does anyone know if it's a bad idea to collect water from a felt covered roof (via guttering into a water butt) and then use it on vegetables ...  will my lettuce taste of tar? .... will I get cancer next Tuesday?

Thanks very much for any input.

Why not the rain has washed all the dirt off

Unless its a brand new roof, I would guess its okay, it's only the same as collecting water from your shed roof on the allotment.  :)

the amount of rain, probably.

Anything on there is going to be diluted in your water butt anyway, and then washed away when you wash your veg...

Again, just my opinion so I accept no responsibility if you die from it  ;)

I have been collecting rain water collected from a felt roof and up to now I see no bad effects on the plants. Although we have water on the mains I always rather natural rain water. The plants do better 

If you want proof, see my photo on my wesite. I have a felt roof, two dustbins, and lots of healthy produce.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments3_finding_an_allotment.html

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond - much appreciated.  I'll go ahead with the water butt plan.  Must get on and do it soon and not waste too many April showers ...  :)

Tom

Quote from: brockleyveg on April 11, 2008, 15:35:03
Hello, does anyone know if it's a bad idea to collect water from a felt covered roof (via guttering into a water butt) and then use it on vegetables ...  will my lettuce taste of tar? .... will I get cancer next Tuesday?

Thanks very much for any input.

I would answer the question but the fact the question shows such obvious _________,__________,and ________. Makes me  hold back an answer
So not to make original poster look more _______then they already look.

You only need to look at any shed on any allotment site to see they all have felt roofs and they all collect the water to use on their veg.

Except the cobbled together ones with corrugated iron roofs :)