Allotments 4 All

if growmore works for you go for it!

Just looked at the packet and it is Miracle Grow and wait till the end of the season and buy it reduced from my lovely Morrisons.  I work on the premise that it is too weak bunging it all in won't hurt the plants, wouldn't make it too strong.  I do measure the tomato feed which I have been giving to my peppers and they are only in flower but got a bit over enthusiastic with the feeding.  What with Manuel telling me to water my pumpkin with 4 watering cans of water a day and feed it once a week it is a full time job.  Pumpkin didn't get any water yesterday with the rain.  I just hope mine gets better than his, although he gave me the plant, says he is going to take it back if it does.  He has hidden his and won't tell anyone where it is in case they steal it.  He is pumpkin mad and can talk on the subject for hours, but he is a nice person if you don't mention pumpkins.

Quote from: amphibian on July 07, 2009, 20:43:44
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.

Thanks amphibian...that's a brilliant solution as i have a problem with one of my ex-food container water butts as the gave me one with the wrong lid on it, it was fine till the crow started sitting on it, making a mess on it and finally sinking the horrible messy lid partly into the water butt contaminating the whole thing. Though I've just had another idea how to fix the whole problem while typing this ...all I need to do is screw a battern across to stop the lid from falling in.

Quote from: tomatoada on July 07, 2009, 16:13:28
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.

Find a factory selling jams or fruit etc They usually sell off these barrels. Look online to find out whats near you e.g. here in Cambridgeshire Chivers sell them.

Quote from: amphibian on July 07, 2009, 20:43:44
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.

That's a great idea, I'll have to get the needle and thread out!