Allotment Etiquette

[Greenleaves]

Simple re the hose, put it away...end of problem

[Cadalot]

Better use a spade and make a slot in the ground and bury the hose so that it can't be borrowed, the put a nice message on the water butt like, "If you are really to lazy to go to the stand pipe then please fill me up if you use me, as a smack in the teeth often offends" with a nice smiley face under.

If you find out who it is, and have a falling out, you can always deploy Bowie my little friend in the picture

[Nicos]

You could always put a sign on the water butt saying " please mind the goldfish"
That'd confuse them!
And yep...we have a grape who keeps her very healthy goldfish in her water butt!

[muddled]

Bob Flowerdew also keeps goldfish in his butt (sorry, couldn't resist) to eat the mosquito larvae and add nitrates.
I considered it myself but was concerned about winter temps with zero insulation.

[donksey]

Bob Flowerdew also keeps goldfish in his butt (sorry, couldn't resist) to eat the mosquito larvae and add nitrates.
I considered it myself but was concerned about winter temps with zero insulation.

Could be handy way to indicate if weed killer has been added.
A kind of water butt canary

[Bigmallly]

I considered it myself but was concerned about winter temps with zero insulation.

They would be better insulated than in an open pond.

[1Bee]

I can't help wondering if there's another newbie who thinks it's a shared water butt or that there's some arrangement. .. more often misunderstandings than malice.

[muddled]

They would be better insulated than in an open pond.

Do you think so?
I thought (no evidence at all...just how my mind works) I thought that perhaps the vegetation decomposing, silt, rocks etc helpe to maintain water temps.
Certainly I leave a couple of children's bouncy balls on my pond so that when the surface freezes I lift them out and there is always 'wet' water beneath.
My water butt has been known to freeze solid even though its deeper than my little pond.

And of course, where animals are involved...if I can't be certain its the best thing for them, I don't do it.
I need to do some more research.

[gardening_gal]

I can't help wondering if there's another newbie who thinks it's a shared water butt or that there's some arrangement. .. more often misunderstandings than malice.

That was my first thought too tbh.

Is there a shed on the plot? I'd hide there with a flask and sandwiches for as long as it took to find out who it was. Then I'd jump out and give them the fright of their lives.

Actually, I wouldn't, I'm just all mouth and no trousers.

[SusieG]

Is there a shed on the plot? I'd hide there with a flask and sandwiches for as long as it took to find out who it was. Then I'd jump out and give them the fright of their lives.

Actually, I wouldn't, I'm just all mouth and no trousers.

It's a great plan though..!!!!! And it would probably work .... caught red-handed they'd have to give an explanation as to why they're using you're water butt ..!!!!!

[SaraJH]

That was my first thought too tbh.

Is there a shed on the plot? I'd hide there with a flask and sandwiches for as long as it took to find out who it was. Then I'd jump out and give them the fright of their lives.

Actually, I wouldn't, I'm just all mouth and no trousers.

Haha! You could create your own hide for spotting the lesser known water hawk

[alldigging]

Haha! You could create your own hide for spotting the lesser known water hawk

LOL
We have communal water in IBCs filled from a neighbour's garage (mine) and you'd be amazed how much water can be used in a week. You can tell who is using it though as their crops in the ground always seem to grow really well.

[Jay-ell]

Add tomato feed to the water butt then put a notice saying that this is your weedkiller waterbutt - do not use.

Then when they decided to use your weedkiller they'll fertilise the weeds instead. All you have to do is keep an eye out for all those healthy weeds.

[Bigmallly]

My water butt has been known to freeze solid even though its deeper than my little pond.

I have never known a water butt to freeze solid. Maybe an inch or so on the top but that would be no problem as the fish would go to the bottom where the water believe it or not would be warmer, ask any angler.

[Jay-ell]

Totally unrelated (even to the unrelated stuff it relates to ) but Kew Steam Museum traditionally keeps a koi in one of their cicterns for the steam engines - originally it was a wild fish that made its way into the reservoir.