Access to water in Allotments

Luna · Hazel Tree Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Posts: 3

Hello,
Can anyone help us, we do not have access to water in our allotment area. Would anyone be willing to let us know how you manage to water your young plants during very dry spells.
Thanks

MrDamon · Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 11:39 am Post subject:

A couple of ideas spring to mind..

If like myself you dont trust the tapwater for drinking, you collect a lot of empty 2 litre and 5 litre bottles from store bought drinking water. Just fill a bunch of these from your water butt or tap. Load your bottles into the car if you have one and bring a spare bottle-cap/lid with a bunch of tiny holes punched into it so you can water your young ones gently.

Another thing to try is rally a bunch of the other allotment holders together and see if you can petition to the owner to provide a supply for you.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Organicgrowingpains · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:44 am Post subject:

Hi Luna, I would think that whoever is renting out the allotments should be arranging a water supply for you. It is an essential service. If you have a shed or greenhouse can you rig up a waterbutt to trap rain water. I have seen a plastic bin with the lid inverted and holes punched in it and it gathers rainwater too but with hopefully a dry summer coming in there won't be much opportunity for that.

Luna · Hazel Tree Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Posts: 3

Thanks MrDamon and Organicgrowingpains, our allotments are owned by the council and there is new legalisation that prevents drinking water to be supplied to non residential areas. Which is understandable, only grey water is permitted; the problem is that we have no grey water supply in the area as we are in the city centre.

MrDamon · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:39 am Post subject:

Do you have a yard or garden with your house..?

As was mentioned, a homemade waterbutt can be quite handy to make and many hardware stores will supply the required pipe attachment for re-directing the flow of rain water from the roof of your house down your drain-pipe.

A simple 50 litre bin will suffice for the storage.

A small homemade filter chamber made from fine wire mesh for the thicker stuff and any cloth material under the mesh for the thinner stuff can be fitted to the bin by either punching/drilling a few holes at the top of the bin where the water will flow into or simply hooking the filter cage to the top edge of the bin

Let us know what you decide to do.

Belfast · Ash Tree Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 242 Location: CSA