It’s so hot I’m having to water my vegetable crops up to twice a day at the moment. Everyone on the allotment is desperately trying to keep the plants productive and, more to the point, alive.
We’re lucky to have taps dotted around the site, which makes watering easier for those with hosepipes. Others try to be less wasteful with water, preferring to use watering cans. I tend to fall into the latter camp, although I do have a hose tucked away in the shed in case I get into a panic in spring when all the seedlings are tiny. I have two large watering cans so I can empty one while the other one fills to save time.
I only water plants that look as if they might die – it’s the ‘tough love’ school of vegetable growing! At work, I’m much kinder to the vegetables, but the veg garden at the hotel has to look good all the time for the guests, whereas my allotment can be a little rough around the edges. I do try to obey the golden rule of watering, though: water in the morning or evening, but never in the middle of the day. For me, that means early morning watering at work, followed by wanderings with my watering cans in the evening on the plot.
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I am always ready for drought conditions as i fill up my 4pint empty milk containers with rainwater from my butts whenever they are full. Watering my vegetables with tap water would be too expensive as my water is metered. I build the containers into a neat wall and use them when the butts are empty.
I think this is a good pollicy to only water the plants that need it especially in drought conditions
Shortly I’ll have a greenhouse so I read the advice on the site about damping down the floor in hot weather by emptying a can full of water over it. My greenhouse has a wooden base so is this a good idea? I’m thinking of the water being in contact with the wood and rotting it. Wouldn’t standing a large bowlful of water add moisture to the air just as well?
Gill, victorian greenhouses had watering tanks in the greenhouse full of water all the time (and staff to do the watering of course!). I think a large bowl would be good, but the water needs changing regularly so as not to go stagnant and bring other pests/diseases in. I stand my tomatoes in pots on large trays which I fill with water, this gives some moisture to the greenhouse atmosphere, and keeps the tomatoes watered for a couple of days.
is there anything that will watter plants baskets for 2 weeks while away
???
thanks
sory about spelling
…try neighbours sgtmoody!!
If you have no one to ask and don’t fancy forking out on drip watering systems, you can stand them in a little water in a paddling pool or in your bath, if they are not plants which hate getting too wet. I have also heard great reviews from friends who have bought the plantpal system, they are only about £7-8 each and sense when to water the pots (they were on Dragons Den I think)
Neighbours are the best bet though!
~ ~ ~ VACATION WATERING ~ ~ ~ ~
Try a jug of water next to your plant, with a strip of cotton toweling from jug down into pot, and let it wick. If you have time before you leave you can see if it is going to be sufficient for the amount of time yool be gone.
We have to use every drop of water sparingly, thus we use all household used water for the garden. Water is metered, like many parts of the UK so it can become very expensive blanket watering. I have tried to plant the vegetables using taller plants to shade the smaller ones, does not make for a very tidy, straight row garden. But the Sweetcorn shelter the runner beans who shelter the marrows and melons and peas, they grow up sticks, unlike the Bulgarian way my neighbour uses, these in turn provide shade for cabbage. The peppers, provide shade for Brocolli.
The parsnips grow in pots under shade by the shed.
As for the enquery regarding watering while away, a friend or neighbour is your best bet, you can do theirs when they go away.
hI happy here,just a note to find out if any one has any tips on watering pots while away on hols,all suggestions greatly accepted. thnx.
cheers Johnny,I will try that as I have upwards of 15 pots I will get my free buckets from Asda flower display as our local store have told me to take as many as I want ,once again tnx Johnny.
i get epty lemonade bottels cut the bottom of then i put an nail hole in the top put the top back on then push it into the midle of your plnter so the compost covers the lid and fill it with water and give the planter a good watering first it works for me when i go away
GOOD IDEA WOOSEY ,NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT THNX,