watering up?

[greasemonkey67]

I have only recently got my allotment,and have dug and planted as i go. At the moment not got a great deal growing,but what is still needs watering.I have two large water butts awaiting for the rain to come,but at moment i have to carry two buckets or watering cans to the stand pipes around the allotment and the water dont go far when watering the veg! Has anyone got any ingenious ideas on watering up so i can prepare for when my allotment is full of veg all requiring water!

[Snadger]

Welcome to the vine greasemonkey67!

The best advice I could give to cut down on watering is to apply a thick organic mulch.

[Fruit&2veg]

Hi
Congrats on the new plot! On our site we have no water supply at all, so it could be worse! If you have a shed then the obvious is to get up some guttering to collect rainwater in your butts,, another usefull idea we have is to get yourself a large sheet of galvanised or plastic roofing sheet,and 6 stakes. drive the stakes into the ground, in 2 rows of 3 about two feet between the rows, bend your sheet up at the sides to form a gutter shape and attach to the posts so that it sloped down towards the butt forming a chute into your water butt, you will be suprised how much water you will collect even in a short downpour!

[greasemonkey67]

Thanks for the welcome, you will prob see more stupid questions posted by me as the years go by,I have only started growing veg last year at home,and not very succesfully! What do you mean by organic mulch?

[greasemonkey67]

I will make up another roof to collect more rain water,when the rain eventually comes,Just been so dry where i am. Thanks.

[Fruit&2veg]

An organic mulch would be along the lines of a good thick dressing of well rotted compost or manure or grass clipping around the plants to help conserve moisture by preventing evaporation. And dont worry, there are no daft questions- If you dont know something there are plenty of knowlegable folk on here to ask, and they all had to learn themselves at some point!
good luck