Saving / Collecting Water?

[broadway]

Hi All,
I have 3 plastic black bins of was thinking of putting them at the bottom of the garden with the lids off over winter to collect water. Possible a stupid question but will the water stagnate, do I treat with anything, yada yada yada?
Cheers……Danny

[Snadger]

You really need some sort of water collection device to fill them Danny. Usually a hut or greenhouse roof is the collection device with a a gutter and downcomer fed into the barrels.

If you haven't got either you could build a 'lean to' over them with a gutter and flexible pipe leading to one of them. When full, re-direct the pipe to the others in turn. The idea is to increase the surface catchment area for the rain as rain will take a heck of a long time to fill an uncovered barrel on it's own!

[broadway]

I take your point Snadger, will see what I can craft out of drift wood:-) Do you have a view on the stagnate question?

[broadway]

Found smoething now on evengreener.com thanks.

[Snadger]

I take your point Snadger, will see what I can craft out of drift wood:-) Do you have a view on the stagnate question?

Clear rainwater shouldn't stagnate as the idea is to use it on the plants as quickly as the barrels fill.

You may want to use one of the barrels as a liquid feed receptacle! Be warned Comfrey tea or other things like sheep,cow or horse manure in a pair of tights hung over the side to give a liquid feed will not only stink but will stagnate and have a load of undesirable creepy crawlies in it, at least mine did!

[jacob marley]

I take your point Snadger, will see what I can craft out of drift wood:-) Do you have a view on the stagnate question?

I am just wondering were you get driftwood in Tottenham you are a long way from the sea Jacob

[Snadger]

I am just wondering were you get driftwood in Tottenham you are a long way from the sea Jacob

I thought that as well Jacob!

[bubblewrap]

High tide Wapping??

[broadway]

You'd be surprised what you can get in Tottenham now days

[seasprout]

Can I add...

Broadway, please, please dont leave bins/barrels/buckets with water in uncovered.

Cats, Squirrels and children have all drowned in them.

What ever your views on Cats and Squirrels, finding a dead one in your bins is not nice, and the smell is worse.

[broadway]

Seasprout good point and don't worry, I now intend to bring them back onto the Patio, they have lids so I intend to buy some taps and convert into proper "water butts".

[terrier]

Hi Broadway, a tip I picked up years ago to keep water butts 'sweet' is to add a few grains of potassium permanganate to the water. This stuff is a very strong antiseptic and will stop water from going stale if the barrel is covered. Don't use more than a pinch of the stuff or else the water will turn a lovely shade of purple!

[bubblewrap]

Hi Broadway, a tip I picked up years ago to keep water butts 'sweet' is to add a few grains of potassium permanganate to the water. This stuff is a very strong antiseptic and will stop water from going stale if the barrel is covered. Don't use more than a pinch of the stuff or else the water will turn a lovely shade of purple!

So that's what I've been drinking & thought it was blackberry wine!