|
Every Garden Needs a Water Butt (or two)
This is one of my pet subjects as I'm constantly reminded
how useful they are - and plants prefer rainwater too. I've one large one
that gets filled from the garage roof at the top of the garden, and another
couple of plastic barrels at the bottom of the garden that fill from small
shed roofs.
I rarely have to use any mains water on my assorted containers,
containerized plants, and establishing shrubs and perennials. The butts/barrels
fill up when it rains and the plants are naturally watered, and then during
the next dry spell, the butt/barrel empties. It usually works out that it
rains again just in time as my rainwater supply runs out.
Don't use the rainwater for seedlings or cuttings though.
There is invariably some contamination in the butt even though lids
keep most of it out and you may well introduce spores of fungi or bacteria
that while older plants can easily shrug them off, younger ones may
get ill.
The ones at the bottom of the garden are especially useful as I don't
have to carry water any more than necessary - and I can never be bothered
with a hose, too much trouble if put away, or too in your face if conveniently
and permanently attached to the side of the house.
If you do install a water butt, I'd strongly recommend using run-off
from an out building or shed as I do.
Down-pipe diverters from the house never seem to work well for long (maybe
I've seen the wrong type).
Avoid the classic mistake of the tilting water butt by making sure
there is an overflow that channels water away and that excess water doesn't
just fall next to the butt.
My overflows are led down to ground level by a pipe and then a short
3-4 foot piece of drainpipe (black, and hidden in the undergrowth) takes
the water away from under the foundations of the butt. In a previous garden
I was even more organized and the overflow led into the sunken plastic liner
of a bog-garden, so making sure it received more than its fair share of
water - it all helps!
Above all, get the largest one/s you can afford and
as many of them as is sensible
|
Buy plants |
Seeds |
Plants
|
Sheepskin slippers |
Sheepskin boots |
Ugg Boots |
Design
|
Deck
| Patio
| Lawns
|
Questions |
Sheds
|
Supplies |
Services
Harcostar
Child Safe Water Butt
Magnum
Barrel
Harcostar
Space Sava Water Butt
Italianate
Water Butt
