Allotments 4 All

I'm using an old kitchen bin to collect water in for the garden, but I noticed the other day there were lots of small wiggly black things in there, about 1cm long. What are they and is it still ok to use this water? I plan to use it on sprouts and swedes.

Sounds like mosquito larvae.......either get a lid to fit to stop the mozzies getting in, or see the other thread entitled 'goldfish'. :)

Had a quick look, and it seems an interesting idea, but I don't think it's big enough for a fish, the water's very murky and it isn't food grade plastic, I wouldn't be happy about putting one in there. Might be a good excuse to get a pond though.  :)

I think you can buy something to put in the water butt to clean the water and can't remember what you have to pour in, something to seal the top of the water, can't remember if it was cooking oil or olive oil so haven't done it this year.  Just close my eyes when I open the lid to water.  Someone on here will know, the butts should have had a good clear out today as it have had the promised heavy rain and thunder so the water butts will be full.

Does anyone else stick the whole packet of growmore in their water butt, saves all that mucking about.  Is this a good idea or not????

add some vegetable oil so that there is a layer floating on the top to seal it

stops mozzies getting in and out!!

need to install a tap in the bottom!

Veg oil sounds good, I could do that. Installing a tap seems a bit overkill on an old bin though. Might use the existing water on my elder trees. They're indestructible.

  Sounds a brilliant idea Borlotti , thats the granuals then is it ?

 Find that measuring the liquid feeds into watering cans is a right pain in the - er  - butt,

 - anyway, I am setting up my  tank in the garden soon - have to do a base for it,   and

  just wonder though if the stuff reacts to the plastic ?  and does the fertiliser stay as

  effective even after a week plus ?.    If you have had no probs- will certainly have a go.

  floss xxx

Can I borrow this post to ask where one can get cheap water butts. I have tried looking on-line but only get hot tubs.

Wilkinsons have them but some sites have a bloke who can get the big blue plastic containers.

A little of any oil will suffocate them. Alternatively cover the butt, which will cut off the light and kill the algae they feed on, or install goldfish. I once had an algal bloom in my water butt, which fed hordes of midge larvae until I cottoned on. Round my shed it was like a Highland bog in the middle of a wet August, with thousands of the horrible things everywhere.

Quote from: shirlton on July 07, 2009, 16:24:10
Wilkinsons have them but some sites have a bloke who can get the big blue plastic containers.

Some sites...some bloke....wonder if you are talking about me Shirl.I use another site and yes,I can get those big blue barrels for free  ;D

Wish you were nearer to us then ;D

QuoteThey're indestructible.

I don't think you mozzie larvae upset the plants.  But the mozzies will be none to happy. ;D

If you problem is that you want your butt to be open, so that water can get in, but you don't want iit to stagnate and fill with larvae, but you don't want to fit a tap... well, the solution is surprisingly simple.

Buy some cheap black fabric or weed control fabric, cut a circle large enough to cover your butt and leave some spare. Sew a piece of elastic round the edge, long enough to pull over the butt. Pull over the butt and place a stone in the middle, which cause the fabric to bow inwards and means water passes through instead of running off. When you need to access it, simply pop it off.

No algae, no larvae, lovely clear water. Cost, next to nowt.

Quote from: shirlton on July 07, 2009, 16:24:10
Wilkinsons have them but some sites have a bloke who can get the big blue plastic containers.

OI, how you know about me? LOL

Quote from: Borlotti on July 07, 2009, 15:27:43
Does anyone else stick the whole packet of growmore in their water butt, saves all that mucking about.  Is this a good idea or not????

Very Bad idea!! you need to calculate proper dilution rates, and then to stop further dilution you would have to stop rain from getting in..

Maybe I'm a bit dim but I thought the idea of growmore and its big granules was that you could just grab a handful and chuck it where required and if the aim was not perfect at least the result was visible.

i'd rather not use any growmore and I certainly would not add it willy nilly to my precious rainwater

Well what I sometimes do, know it is lazy, but put the Growmore blue powder/cystals in the water butt and then use it to water front and back garden, that normally empties half of the water butt and would only get caught out if we had heavy rain, like yesterday.  On the allotment I can easily empty the water butt at one time.  The plant haven't complained yet, but I know I should measure it, and also should plant things in straight line.  Do a lot of things wrong according to OH but he is a man and good at criticising but does eat the food.