Solar irrigation

[Scarecrowdave]

Im going on holiday and was wondering whether the solar watering systems are any good if they are whats the best on market
Or would i be better asking a fellow allotment holder to do me a favour ?

[burnie]

First thing on a lottie situation is how secure is it, would a solar system still be there when you get back from your hols?

[veggiechicken]

When are going away?
Unless you have plants in a GH, I wouldn't have thought there was much need to irrigate anything outdoors.

[Jungle Jane]

You could find out if someone else is holidaying too & each do each other's watering plus bean picking. Offering for them to harvest & take home any courgettes,beans etc that are ready would be good deal.

[Snoop Puss]

We've recently installed a Shurflo solar pump with solar panel to draw water up from our well. Works well. But expensive. It would be a significant loss to lose them. Still haven't installed drip pipework and so forth. Which will also be a big financial hit.

What's your water source? What exactly are you hoping to water? What's your budget? And how vulnerable would your system be to thieves?

[veggiechicken]

While you're here Scarecrow did you see the replies to your earlier questions ?

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...red_94762.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...t=#post1559848

Just curious

[Scarecrowdave]

Thinking about this i think i will post on the info board at the allotments looking for someone to maintain the waterig feeding regime whilst im away it will be a good way to meet new people
Think i may purchase a solar watering system for my greenhouse in my garden
Thanks for your replies

[boatsman]

If you have a mains water supply you could put a simple battery operated timer to open and close the water supply. They are not expensive and you can put the timer in a metal box and padlock it. Galcon make them and they just need a 9v battery.

[ESBkevin]

Best thing for outdoor plants is lots of mulch. Then watering becomes much less of a burdon, the plants don't expect a soaking 3 times a week and they develop great root systems to capture the moisture available.

It works indoors to an extent too if the sun can't evaporate the surface moisture away it is available to the plant.

You should be able to develope a regime where the plants get no watering most of the year and perhaps a soak every 2-3 weeks in the most hostile of British summers. They won't even know you've gone on holiday if you time it right. Tomatoes and the like can be more problematic with splitting etc, I just ask a neighbour to help themselves to the harvest and water while they are there.